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?  A  L  I  S  8  Y 


THE   HUGUENOT   POTTER 


^-:>  <>^  —    ^  >_ 


Falissy,  a  Philosoiilier. 


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HUGUENOT  POTTER. 


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BOSTON; 
PUBLISHED  BY  IRA  BRADLEY    &  CO 

1G2  WASHrvoTON  Street. 


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PREFACE. 


Thb  readers  of  this  little  book  may  ask,  with 

^eat   propriety,   "  What  is   meant  by  a  true 

tale?"  and  the  answer  to  this  question  shall 

be  very  explicit,  as  it  is  of  great  importance 

•^  that  there   should   be   no   misunderstanding   as 

*'^  to  the  matter  of  truth  or  fiction. 

^What  is  known  of  the  history  of  Palissy  is 
gathered  from  his  writings,  which  are  written 
^  in   the   form   of  dialogues,   and  into   which   he 

has  incorporated  short  narratives  of  the  events 
of  his  own  life,  and  of  the  occurrences  which 
took  place  under  his  own  eyes.  These,  and  a 
few  incidental  notices  of  him  in  contemporary 
writers,  are  the  sources  whence  the  materials 
for  Mi  life  have  been  gathered. 


VI  PEEFACE. 


In  the  present  narrative,  I  have  attempted 
to  give  an  account  of  the  facts  which  Palissy 
has  himself  recorded,  weaving  them  into  a 
tale.  For  instance,  he  tells  us,  in  one  of  his 
treatises,  of  his  troubles,  and  experiments,  and 
sorrows,  during  the  time  he  was  engaged  in 
discovering  the  white  enamel ;  and  he  gives 
us,  now  and  then,  a  peep  at  his  domestic  life, 
showing  how  his  poor  children  drooped  and 
died ;  how  he  became  burdened  with  debt ; 
tnat  his  family  and  friends  reproached  him  for 
his  long  and  unprofitable  toil ;  and  that  his 
neighbors  joined  in  their  invectives  against 
his  folly ;  also,  that  when  reduced  to  the 
greatest  straits,  he  obtained  help  from  a 
friendly   publican. 

So  with  the  religious  events  narrated :  they 
are  given  from  his  work,  entitled,  "  Recepte 
Veritable,  par  laquelle  tons  les  hommes  de  la 
France,"  etc.*  All  that  has  been  done  is  to 
arrange  these  details  in  order,  and  give  them 
a  narrative   form.     There   is   not   one  event  in 

•  "  A  true  Recipe,  whereby  all  the  inhabitants  of  Franoa 
ma^  learn  to  multiply  and  augment  their  possessions  *' 


PREFACE.  Vli 


this  narrative  which  did  uot  actually  occur, 
although  it  was  not  possible  to  give  literally 
a  Life  of  Palissy. 

The  principal  aim  has  been  to  call  attention 
to  his  religious  character,  which  has  been  but 
slightly  noticed  in  the  accounts  of  those  who 
have  recorded  the  achievements  of  this  great 
genius,  as  an  artist  in  earth.  He  was,  in  fact, 
a  French  Huguenot :  one  of  the  glorious  band 
of  martyrs  for  the  faith  of  Jesus ;  and  he  has 
told  us,  in  a  touching  and  simple  manner,  what 
he  saw  and  heard  in  those  days  of  persecution 
and  trial. 

The  plan  adopted  seemed  not  only  legiti- 
mate, but  the  one  which  could  best  render 
the  work  attractive  and  pleasing  to  those  for 
whose  instruction  it  is  designed.  They  may 
be  assured  that  the  sentiments  and  doings  of 
Palissy  are  here  truly  recorded,  and  if  they 
take  his  example  as  an  incentive  to  earnest, 
patient,  and  unwearying  application  —  above 
all,  if  they  adopt  his  high  standard  and  the 
motive  which  sanctified  all  his  work  —  they 
will  not  read  this  "True  Tale"  in  vain. 


Tin  PREFACE. 


I  cannot  conclude  without  expressing  the 
g^eat  obligations  I  am  under  to  Mr.  Morley's 
"  Life  of  Palissy,"  which  has  been  my  guide 
throughout.  Of  his  admirable  translations  of 
the  various  passages  he  has  given  from  the 
original  treatises,  I  have  gladly  availed  myself, 
finding  it  impossible  to  improve  upon  them. 

NoKwiOH,  Abv*nii«r,  18S6. 


CONTENTS. 


fart  ixxsl 


Chapteb  I • •..••  18 

Chapter  n ^ 

CHAPTKa  III ••  *2 

Chaptee  IV 60 

Chapter  V '* 


fart  SuonlOf. 


Chapter  L 89 

Chapter  n 100 

Chapter  in. 11* 

Chapter  IV 126 

Chapter  V 141 

Chapter  VT 155 


art   %\ix^. 


Chapter  1 170 

Chapter  II 183 

Chapter  HI 192 

Chapter  IV ^ 213 

Chapter  V ....• S96 


"  Bernard  de  Palissy  is  the  most  perfect  model  of  th« 
workman.  It  is  by  his  example,  rather  than  by  his  works, 
that  he  has  exercised  an  influence  on  civilization,  and  that 
he  has  deserved  a  place  to  himself  amongst  the  men  who 
have  ennobled  humanity.  Though  h^  had  remained  un- 
known and  listless,  making  tiles  in  his  father's  pottery; 
though  he  had  never  purified,  moulded,  or  enamelled  his 
handful  of  clay;  though  his  living  groups,  his  crawling 
reptiles,  his  slimy  snails,  his  slippery  frogs,  his  lively  lizards, 
and  his  damp  herbs  and  dripping  mosses  had  never  adorned 
those  dishes,  ewers,  and  salt  cellars  —  those  quaint  and 
elaborate  ornaments  of  the  tables  and  cupboards  of  the 
sixteenth  century;  it  is  true  nothing  would  have  been  want- 
ing to  the  art  of  Phidias  or  of  Michael  Angelo  —  to  the 
porcelain  of  Sevres,  of  China,  of  Florence,  or  Japan;  but  we 
should  not  have  had  his  life  for  the  operative  to  admire  and 
imitate." 

M.  DE  Lamaetine. 

"  He  is  the  patriarch  of  the  workshop,  showing  how  to 
exalt  and  ennoble  any  business,  however  trivial ,  so  that  it 
has  labour  for  its  means,  progress  and  beauty  for  its  motive, 
and  the  glory  of  Qod  for  its  end." 


PALIS8Y 

THE   HUGUENOT  POTTER 


$art  iixsU 

esio 

CHAPTER  I. 

"And  onto  one  he  gave  five  talenta,  to  another  two, 
and  to  another  one;  to  every  man  according  to  hia  several 
ability."  —  Matt.  xxv.  15. 

In  the  south-west  of  France  is  the  ancient 
town  of  Saintes,  the  capital  of  Saintonge, 
charmingly  situated  on  the  river  Charente, 
and  once  the  most  flourishing  city  of  all 
Guienne.  It  is  a  very  ancient  place,  and 
was,  in  the  time  of  the  Romans,  one  of  the 
principal  cities  of  Aquitaine.  There  are  still 
some  slight  remains  of  an  amphitheatre,  and 
a  fine  Roman  bridge  spans  the  waters  of  the 
2 


14  PALISSY   THE   HUGUENOT  POTTEK. 


Charente,  bearing  a  Latin  inscription  (no'w 
illegible)  upon  its  frieze.  Placed  at  the  foot 
of  a  mountain,  the  aspect  of  the  town  from 
a  distance  is  impressive,  but  its  streets  are 
narrow  and  winding,  and  its  houses  low  and 
ill-built.  In  olden  times  it  boasted  an  an- 
cient cathedral  dedicated  to  St.  Peter,  and 
said  to  have  been  built  by  Charlemagne ; 
but  only  the  bell-tower  now  remains,  and 
indeed  most  of  the  antiquities  in  which  the 
town  once  abounded  must  be  named  among 
the  things  that  were.  A  great  deal  of  this 
destruction  is  attributed  to  the  religious 
struggles  which  were  carried  on  in  Saintes 
with  especial  fierceness,  and  of  which  some 
record  will  be  found  interwoven  in  the  story 
of  Palissy  the  Potter. 

It  was  in  the  year  1538,  one  morning  in 
May,  that  the  people  of  the  old  narrow- 
Btreeted  town  we  have  described,  were  sur- 
prised  to  find  a  strange  family  had  arrived 
among  them.  The  new-comers  were  a  young 
couple  who  brought  with  them  an  infant  in 


PALISST   THE    HUGUENOT    POTTEE.  15 


arms,  and  presently  established  themselves 
in  a  small  house  on  the  outskirts  of  the 
city,  the  frontage  of  which  looked  upon  one 
of  the  steep  crooked  streets,  and  presented 
to  view  a  workshop,  in  which  were  displayed 
various  objects  calculated  to  attract  the  eyes 
of  passers-by.  Above  all,  at  the  entrance 
of  the  door  was  placed  the  figure  of  a  dog, 
modelled  and  painted  in  such  life-like  fashion, 
that  many  a  time  was  this  sturdy-looking 
guardian  of  the  threshold  challenged  to  sin- 
gle combat  by  the  perplexed  dogs  of  the 
good  town. 

It  WPS  not  long  before  the  inhabitants  of 
Saintes  learned  that  the  head  of  this  small 
family  was  named  Bernard  Palissy,  and  that 
he  desired  to  obtain  occupation  among  them 
as  a  surveyor,  a  painter,  or  a  worker  in 
glass.  In  the  former  of  these  occupations 
they  soon  discovered  that  he  possessed  con- 
siderable talent.  He  had  good  knowledge 
of  geometry,  and  manual  skill  in  the  em- 
ployment of  the  rule  and  compass,  and  these 


16  PALlSSY  THE    flUGDENOT    POTTEK. 

enabled  him  to  measure  and  plan  sites  for 
houses  and  gardens,  and  to  make  maps  of 
landed  property ;  all  which  might  turn  to- 
account  in  disputes  as  to  questions  of 
boundaries,  a  source  of  constant  litigation 
formerly,  in  most  countries.  But,  unfortu- 
nately, land  measuring  came  only  now  and 
then,  and  on  the  arts  of  painting  and  glass- 
working,  he  must  chiefly  depend  for  sup- 
port. The  neighbors  learned,  too,  after  a 
while,  to  look  with  favorable  eyes  upon 
the  young  artist,  whose  spirit  and  vivacity 
attracted  them,  and  seemed  always  to  shed 
a  sunshine  around  his  home ;  for  Palissy  was 
a  man  full  of  hope  at  all  times,  and  even  in 
the  darkest  hour  of  evil  fortune  he  still 
looked  cheerfully  onward.  At  the  time 
when  he  settled  in  Saintes  he  was  about 
thirty  years  old.  Of  his  early  history  but 
few  particulars  are  known ;  he  was  born  in 
the  diocese  of  Agen,  of  parents  so  poor 
that  they  were  unable  to  give  him  the  ad- 
vantages  of  a   liberal  education.     However, 


PALISST  THE    HUGUENOT    POTTEB,  17 


he  learned  to  read  and  write,  and  from  his 
early  youth  showed  a  turn  for  drawing  and 
designing,  and  speedily  attained  a  degree 
of  skill  which  secured  him  employment  in 
painting  on  glass  and  drawing  plans. 

It  was  by  the  small  funds  he  procured  in 
this  way  that  he  supported  himself  during 
his  travels  through  the  principal  provinces 
of  France,  which  he  traversed,  everywhere 
gazing,  with  youthful  eagerness^,  on  the 
works  of  God  and  the  productions  of  human 
skiU. 

For  nine  or  ten  years  he  wandered  on ; 
sometimes  pausing,  and  taking  up  his  tem- 
porary residence  in  places  where  he  found 
employment.  Thus,  at  Tarbes,  the  capital 
of  Bigorre,  he  dwelt  some  years,  and  in 
sundry  other  towns  he  sojourned  awhile. 
It  is  evident  that  those  were  years  of 
education  to  his  young  and  indefatigably 
inquiring  spirit.  He  was  storing  up  knowl- 
edge which  was  afterwards  turned  to  excel- 
lent account.  He  investigated  the  arts  of 
2* 


18  PALISSY   THE    HUGUENOT    POTTER. 

life  and  studied  the  monuments  of  anti^ 
quity,  observing  the  local  customs  and 
habits  of  the  places  he  visited,  acquiring 
dexterity  of  hand,  while,  at  the  same  time, 
he  enlarged  his  mind.  But  the  study  in 
which  he  most  delighted  was  that  of  natural 
history.  The  great  interest  he  took  in  the 
various  qualities  of  the  earths,  rocks,  sands, 
and  waters,  on  account  of  the  relation  they 
bore  to  his  calling,  had  made  him  a  natural- 
ist. Everywhere  he  employed  his  leisure 
hours  in  wandering  over  the  woods  and 
meadows,  and  thus  he  studied  that  won- 
drous book  men  call  the  Book  of  Nature. 

It  is  time  we  visit  the  humble  dwelling  oi 
the  man  of  genius,  who,  his  wanderings  now 
over,  has  quietly  settled  down,  and  is  enter- 
ing on  the  earnest  business  of  life,  full  of 
that  spiritual  sense  of  power  which  begets 
hopefulness,  and,  at  the  same  time,  simple- 
hearted  and  loving  as  a  child.  Bernard's 
studio  was  no  other  than  a  small  out-house, 
in  which  he  wrouglit  at  his    Dccupation,  and 


PALISSY   THE    HUGUENOT    POTTER.  19 


beyond  which  was  a  little  garden,  filled  with 
the  choice  plants  and  herbs  he  met  with  in 
his  rambles  through  the  woods  and  pasture 
lands  around  Saintes.  The  evening  hour  has 
just  set  in,  bringing  with  it  rest  and  relax- 
ation,  and  the  artist  has  laid  aside  his  tools 
and  is  fondling  the  little  Nicole,  his  eldest 
born  ;  while  his  eyes  glance  lovingly  towards 
his  young  wife,  who,  delicate  and  slightly 
formed,  looks  but  ill-fitted  to  endure  the 
troubles  of  Hfe — we  must  add,  the  troubles 
peculiar  to  the  wife  of  a  genius. 

For  the  present,  however,  the  evil  days 
have  not  come  upon  her,  and  she  replies 
with  looks  of  pleasure  to  his  fond  words. 
He  is  telling  her  of  the  glorious  ramble  he 
has  had  in  the  early  morning,  and  of  the 
treasures  he  has  seen  and  gathered.  A  large 
earthen  pot  stands  on  his  work-ben(-h,  filled 
with  flowers  and  foliage,  and  his  pencil  has 
been  diligently  occupied  in  imitating  the 
bright  colors  and  elegant  forms  of  these 
wild  plants,  with  the    minute  accuracy  of  a 


20  PALISSY  THE    HUGUENOT    POTTER. 


naturalist.  Lisette  has  opened  his  folio,  and 
is  turning  over  the  loose  sketches  it  contains; 
butterflies,  lizards,  beetles,  and  many  other 
wild  creatures  are  there — all  drawn  from 
nature,  and  true  to  the  smallest  tracery-work 
upon  the  insects'  wings.  To  her  exclama- 
tions  of  delight  he  answers,  "  Truly,  it  is  a 
great  recreation  to  those  who  will  con- 
template admiringly  the  wondrous  works  of 
nature,  and  methinks  I  could  find  nothing 
better  than  to  employ  one's-self  in  the  art  of 
agriculture,  and  to  glorify  God.  and  to  admire 
him  in  his  marvels.  As  I  walked  along  the 
avenues,  and  under  the  foliage  of  the  chest- 
nuts, I  heard  the  murmuring  waters  of  a 
brook  which  passes  at  the  foot  of  the  hill ; 
and  on  the  other  side  the  voices  of  the 
young  birds  warbling  among  the  trees ;  then 
there  came  to  my  memory  that  104th  Psalm, 
where  the  prophet  says,  '  He  sendeth  the 
springs  into  the  valleys,  which  run  among 
the  hills;'  also,  he  says,  'By  them  shall  the 
fowls  of  the  heaven  have  their  habitation, 
which  sing  among  the  branches.'  " 


PALISST  THE    HUGUENOT    POTTER.  21 


The  mother  took  the  infant  from  her  hus- 
band, and  began  undressing  him  for  bed^ 
while  the  father  smiled  and  went  on,  half 
soliloquizing,  "When  I  had  walked  through 
the  avenue,  I  turned  toward  the  side,  where 
the  woods  and  mountains  are,  and  there  T 
received  a  great  contentment,  and  much 
joyous  pleasure,  for  I  saw  the  squirrels 
gathering  the  fruits  and  leaping  from  branch 
to  branch,  with  many  pretty  looks  and 
gestures ;  further  on,  I  beheld  the  rooks  busy 
at  their  repast ;  and  again,  under  the  apple 
trees  I  found  certain  hedgehogs,  which  had 
rolled  themselves  up,  and  having  thrust  their 
little  hairs,  or  needles,  through  the  said 
apples,  went  so  burdened.  I  saw  likewise 
many  things  narrated  in  that  Psalm,  as  the 
conies,  playing  and  bounding  along  the 
mountains,  near  certain  holes  and  pits  which 
the  Sovereign  Architect  has  made  for  them  ; 
and  when  suddenly  the  animals  caught  sight 
of  an  enemy,  they  knew  well  how  to  retire 
into    the    place   which  was    ordained   to   be 


22  PALISSY  THE    HUGUENOT    POTTER. 


their  dwelling.  Then  I  exclaimed,  'OLoid, 
how  manifold  are  thy  works ;  in  wisdom  hast 
thou  made  them  all.'  Such  sights  as  these 
have  made  me  so  great  a  lover  of  the  fields, 
that  it  seems  to  me  there  are  no  treasures 
on  earth  so  precious,  or  which  ought  to  be 
held  in  such  great  esteem,  although  they 
are  the  most  despised." 

At  that  moment  Lisette,  who  had  risen 
from  the  bench  on  which  they  had  seated 
themselves,  looking  toward  the  palings  of 
their  garden,  perceived  a  tall  figure  leaning 
there.  She  directed  the  attention  of  her 
husband  to  this  person,  and  then  retired 
into  the  chamber  with  her  infant.  A  few 
moments  after,  Bernard  was  in  eager  con- 
versation with  the  stranger.  They  spoke  in 
low  accents,  as  though  anxious  not  to  be 
overheard.  "  Let  us  go  down  to  the  field 
together/'  said  Palissy ;  "  I  must  speak  with 
thee,  master  Philibert,  whore  our  words  may 
be  freely  uttered ; "  and  presently  the  two 
had  disappeared  in  the  twilight. 


PALISSY   THE    HUGUENOT    POTTER.  23 


This  Master  Philibert  Hamelin,  who  was  so 
eagerly  accosted  by  our  artist,  was  one  of 
those  "  poor  and  unlearned  men "  whose 
names  were  chronicled  in  the  list  of  "  here- 
tics," as  infected  with  the  taint  of  disloyalty 
to  the  Roman  Catholic  Church.  At  the  time 
when  Palissy  came  forth  into  life  the  minds 
of  men  were  greatly  agitated  by  those  re- 
ligious struggles  which  convulsed  Europe 
during  the  sixteenth  century.  From  Ger- 
many the  desire  of  spiritual  emancipation 
had  spread  abroad ;  and  before  long  the  fire 
which  burned  with  such  fierceness  during 
the  terrible  wars  of  the  Huguenots,  was 
kindled  in  France. 

Examples  of  religious  persecution,  cruel 
punishments  of  heretics,  and  expressions  of 
much  discontent  on  matters  of  faith,  must, 
without  fail,  have  often  attracted  the  notice 
of  Palissy  during  his  years  of  travel. 

As  we  have  already  intimated,  Saintes  be- 
came a  stronghold  of  the  new  opinions. 
Many  "  heretics,"    and    among    them    Calvin 


24  PALISSy    THE    HUGUENOT    POTTER 


himself,  the  great  reformer,  had  taken  refuge 
in  Saintonge — the  very  district  in  which  the 
home  of  Palissy  was  afterwards  fixed.  He 
dwelt  there  in  the  house  of  a  young  man, 
whose  friends  were  wealthy ;  and  this  youth 
persuaded  Calvin,  while  in  his  retirement 
there,  to  write  Christian  sermons  and  re- 
monstrances, which  he  then  caused  to  be 
preached  by  cures  in  the  neighborhood. 
These  cures  were  "  certain  reformed  monks," 
who,  having  adopted  the  new  tenets,  visited 
among  the  people,  teaching  them  secretly, 
and  gradually  instructing  them,  so  that  by 
degrees  the  eyes  of  many  were  opened  to 
see  the  errors  of  the  Romish  Church. 

Among  those  who  had  eagerly  embraced 
the  instructions  of  Calvin  was  Hamelin,  who, 
consequently,  having  incurred  suspicion  of 
heresy,  escaped  from  Saintes,  and  journeyed 
to  Geneva,  at  that  time  the  head  quarters 
of  the  French  reformers,  where  he  acquired 
clearer  knowledge  of  divine  truth,  and  in- 
creased earnestness.     Zealous   to    communi 


PALISSY   THE    HUGUENOT    POTTER.  25 


cate  to  others  the  faith  he  had  adopted,  he 
wandered  from  place  to  place  through  the 
provinces  of  his  native  land,  exerting  him- 
self wherever  he  went  to  incite  men  to 
have  ministers,  and  to  gather  themselvea 
into  church  communion.  So  eager  was  he 
to  spread  the  gospel,  that  he  took  up  with 
the  trade  of  a  printer,  and  printed  Bibles, 
which  he  hawked  about  in  the  towns  and 
villages.  In  the  course  of  his  journeyings 
he  passed  through  one  of  the  towns  in  which 
Palissy  had  taken  up  his  temporary  abode. 
The  spirit  of  the  young  artist  was  stirred 
within  him  as  he  listened  to  the  ani- 
mated exhortations  of  Hamelin,  who,  having 
gathered  together  a  little  flock  of  some 
seven  or  eight  auditors,  labored  to  win  them 
to  God;  and  exhorted  them  to  meet  together 
for  prayer  and  mutual  instruction. 

His  teaching  fell    like    the   dew  upon  the 

heart   of  the    young   man,   and    he    eagerly 

sought   out  the    preacher  and  took    counsel 

with  him.     From   that   time   the   persecuted 

3 


26  PALISSY  THE    HUG15EK0T    TOTTER. 


Huguenot  commanded  the  love  and  reverence 
of  Palissy,  who  never  spoke  of  him  but  in 
terms  of  respect  and  aflfection. 

At  the  period  of  which  we  are  about  to 
speak,  although  the  persecutions  had  not  yet 
reached  Saintonge,  the  struggle  had  begun 
in  many  towns  by  a  tumultuous  rising  of  the 
people,  and  severe  punishments  were  inflicted 
upon  all  who  joined  in  these  outbreaks 
Emissaries  of  the  ecclesiastics  were  keenly 
on  the  watch  for  suspected  characters,  and 
it  was  at  the  risk  of  fine,  imprisonment,  and 
death,  that  the  proceedings  of  men  hke 
Hamelin  were  carried  on.  Nor  was  it  with- 
out serious  danger  of  compromising  his 
own  safety  that  Palissy  cultivated  the  friend- 
ship of  a  man  so  attainted,  and  of  this  he 
was  well  aware.  It  was,  however,  no  part 
of  his  character  to  flinch  from  trouble  or 
peril  in  such  a  cause. 

It  will  be  unnecessary  to  relate  what 
passed  between  the  two  friends  on  the  even- 
ing in  which  we  have  introduced  Palissy  to 


PALISSY   THE    HUGUENOT    POTTER.  27 


our  readers.  The  visit  of  Hamelin  was 
secret  and  hurried.  He  had  come  for  the 
purpose  of  bringing  to  the  poor  people  he 
had  formerly  taught  around  Saintes,  three 
teachers,  who,  having  been  convinced  of  the 
errors  of  the  Romish  Church,  had  been  con- 
strained to  take  flight  and  exile  themselves. 
Having  recommended  them  to  the  friendl}' 
notice  of  Bernard,  and  taken  counsel  with  him 
as  to  certain  precautionary  measures,  Hame- 
lin hastened  to  quit  the  neighborhood  of  a 
place  in  which  he  was  too  well  known  to 
venture  himself  openly. 

Some  years  passed  away  before  these  two 
met  again. 

Shall  we  follow  our  artist  homeward,  as 
slowly  and  thoughtfully  he  retraced  his  steps 
thither?  He  was  pondering,  in  the  earnest- 
ness of  his  heart,  an  idea  which  was  indeed 
the  mainspring  of  all  his  intellectual  and 
moral  activity.  Again  and  again  in  his 
.  writings  does  he  solemnly  recur  to  this  idea, 
and  in   all   the   long  years   of  bis   toil    and 


28  PALISSY   THE    HUGUENOT    POTTER. 


Buflfering  to  acquire  the  skill  which  was  tc 
render  hira  immortal  in  the  history  of  art, 
this  was  his  incentive  and  spur.  The  parablo 
of  the  Talents — the  duty  of  every  man  to 
turn  to  account  the  powers  and  gifts  he 
has  received  from  God — was  the  touchstone 
by  which  Bernard  tried  his  work. 

His  own  words,  written  long  after,  will 
best  close  this  opening  chapter.  "  Though 
there  be  some  who  will  at  no  time  hear 
mention  of  the  Holy  Scripture,  yet  so  it  is 
that  I  have  found  nothing  better  than  to 
pursue  the  counsel  of  God ;  his  edicts,  sta- 
tutes, and  ordinances  ;  and  in  regarding  what 
might  be  his  will,  I  have  found  that  he  has 
commanded  his  heirs  that  they  should  eat 
bread  by  the  labor  of  their  bodies,  and  that 
they  should  multiply  the  talents  which  he 
had  committed  to  them.  Which  considering 
I  have  not  been  willing  to  hide  in  the  ground 
those  talents  it  has  pleased  him  to  allot  me, 
but  to  cause  them  to  yield  profit  and  increase 
to  Him  from  whom  I  have  received  them." 


CHAPTER    II. 

•'  Whataoever  thy  hand  findeth  to  do,  do  it  with  thy  might." 

EccLES.  ii.  10. 

For  a  considerable  time  after  he  had  set- 
tled at  Saintes,  Palissy  went  on  surveying, 
painting,  and  designing,  working  industriously, 
and  earning  a  competent,  though  slender, 
income  for  the  support  of  his  household  —  an 
increasing  one  —  for  he  had  now  another 
baby  to  kiss,  as  well  as  a  child  upon  his 
arms.  Conscious  of  his  own  strength,  and 
dissatisfied  with  labor  which  produced  only 
food,  he  naturally  felt  eager  to  accomplish 
Bomething  better  than  he  had  yet  done. 

There  is  often  a  long  period,  during  which 

a   man   of   genius   is  occupied   in   gathering 

together    materials,    unconscious   what    use 

they  shall  eventually  serve  ;  but  the  turning 

point   of  his   history    comes,   and   suddenly, 
3*  2» 


30  PALISSY   THE    HUGUENOT    POTTER. 


perhaps  through  a  passing  and  merely  acci 
dental  circumstance,  he  receives  an  impetus 
which  directs  him  on  to  the  fulfilment  of  his 
career.  It  was  thus  in  the  case  of  Palissy. 
Some  two  years  after  the  events  related  in 
the  preceding  chapter,  Bernard  had  received 
a  little  commission  from  one  of  the  great 
seigneurs  who  lived  in  the  neighborhood  of 
Saintes.  He  was  a  man  of  much  taste  in  the 
fine  arts,  and  had  in  his  possession  some 
choice  specimens  of  ancient  Moorish  pottery. 
After  showing  these  to  Palissy  (who  had  come 
to  the  chateau  for  directions),  the  nobleman, 
going  to  the  cabinet  from  which  they  had 
been  taken,  drew  out  an  earthen  cup,  turned 
and  enamelled  with  so  much  beauty,  that,  at 
the  sight  of  it,  our  artist  was  struck  dumb 
with  admiration.  He  knew  nothing  of  pot- 
tery, he  had  no  knowledge  of  clays,  and  he 
was  aware  of  the  fact  that  there  was  no 
man  in  all  France  who  could  make  enamels. 

This   last  thought   acted,  porchanf;e,  as   a 
stimulus    to     his   ambition.      ITowevei     that 


PALISSY  THE    HUGUENOT    POTTER.  31 


might  be,  the  idea  instantly  took  possession 
of  his  mind  that  he  would  make  enamels. 
They  could  be  made,  for  here  was  a  specimen. 
To  be  the  only  man  in  the  land  who  could 
produce  these  beautiful  vases  would  be  not 
only  to  secure  an  abundant  supply  for  the 
wants  of  his  family,  but  it  would  be  a  tri- 
umph of  art — a  riddle  of  deep  interest  to 
solve,  and  an  occupation  after  his  heart. 

That  evening  he  called  his  wife  to  him,  and 
told  her  what  he  had  seen,  and  how  his  heart 
was  set  upon  learning  to  make  enamels.  The 
poor  woman  saw  by  his  beaming  countenance 
that  he  was  pleased ;  she  knew  that  he  loved 
her  and  their  children,  and  she  said  not  a 
word  to  discourage  him,  although  he  plainly 
told  her,  with  that  truthfulness  which  was  as 
the  very  breath  of  his  nostrils,  that  his  first 
experiments  must  be  made  at  great  cost. 
"  There  will  be  the  loss  of  my  time  from 
my  wonted  occupation  ;  besides  that,  I  must 
purchase  drugs  and  make  me  furnaces,  and 
all,  at  first,  a  clear  outlay,  without  fruit.     T 


32  PALISSY    THE    HUGUENOT    POTTER. 


shall  have  many  drawbacks,  and  it  may  be 
a  weary  while  before  I  master  this  art.  I 
shall  be  as  a  man  that  gropes  his  way  in 
the  dark,  for  I  have  no  knowledge  of  clays, 
nor  have  I  ever  seen  earth  baked,  nor  do  I 
know  of  what  materials  enamels  are  com- 
posed." His  wife  urged  that  he  had  better 
rest  content  with  diligence  in  his  own  calling, 
and  on  her  pale  face  came  a  blush  of  pleasure 
and  pride  as  she  looked  up  at  him,  who  was 
already,  in  her  esteem,  a  perfect  artist.  But 
he  heeded  not  her  words,  save  that  he  ten- 
derly bade  her  be  of  good  cheer.  Poverty 
and  pain  would  have  mattered  little  to  him 
personally ;  and  had  he  been  free  from 
household  cares,  he  would,  in  all  likelihood, 
have  wandered  forth  among  the  potters,  and 
learned  all  that  could  be  gathered  of  their 
work  from  them.  But  he  was  bound  to  home 
and  its  cares  and  duties,  and  so,  alone, 
unaided,  and  without  sympathy,  must  he 
work.  Nothing  daunted,  however,  by  these 
drawbacks,  his  resolve  was  taken — to  com- 
plete his  invention,  or  perish  in  the  attempt. 


PALISSy  THE    HUGUENOT    POTTER.  33 


Before  retiring  to  rest  that  night,  Palissy, 
as  his  custom  was,  devoutly  opened  the 
sacred  volume ;  and  turning  to  the  thirty- 
fifth  chapter  of  Exodus,  he  read  how  God 
called  by  name  Bezaleel,  the  son  of  Uri,  and 
filled  him  with  the  Spirit  of  God,  in  wis- 
dom, in  understanding,  in  knowledge,  and 
in  all  manner  of  workmanship,  and  to  devise 
curious  works,  in  gold,  in  silver,  in  brass, 
and  in  catting  of  stones,  ana  in  carving  of 
wood,  in  all  manner  of  cunning  work. 
"  Then  I  reflected,"  said  he,  "  that  God  had 
gifted  me  with  some  knowledge  of  draw- 
ing, and  I  took  courage  in  my  heart,  and 
besought  him  to  give  me  wisdom  and  skill." 

Pahssy  lost  no  time  in  setting  to  work. 
He  began  by  making  a  furnace  which  he 
thought  most  likely  to  suit  his  purpose,  and 
having  bought  a  quantity  of  earthen  pots, 
and  broken  them  into  fragments,  he  cov- 
ered these  with  various  chemical  com- 
pounds which  he  had  pounded  and  ground, 
and  which  he  proposed  to  melt  at  furnace 


34  PALISSY   THE    HUGUENOT    POTTER. 


heat.  His  hope  was,  that  of  all  these  mix- 
tures, some  one  or  other  might  run  over 
the  pottery  in  such  a  way  as  to  afford  him 
at  least  a  hint  towards  the  composition  of 
white  enamel,  which  he  had  been  told  was 
the  basis  of  all  others.  Alas  !  his  first  ex- 
periment was  but  the  beginning  of  an  end- 
less series  of  disappointments  and  losses, 
while,  for  many  long  months  and  years  he 
wrought  with  fruitless  labor.  But  we  must 
not  anticipate.  Happily  the  ardent  spirit 
of  our  artist  suffered  him  not  easily  to  suc- 
comb  under  difficulties ;  nay,  it  even  seemed 
to  gather  new  energy  from  the  struggle,  as, 
with  all  the  fire  of  love  and  all  the  strength 
of  will,  he,  every  day,  renewed  his  experi- 
ments, and  blundered  on  with  cheerful  hope. 
It  has  well  been  said,  "  Ideas  become  pas- 
sions in  the  breasts  of  poets  and  artists." 

Many  months  have  now  passed  in  this 
way ;  and  the  little  family  gathering  around 
Palissy's  humble  hearth  begin  to  show  syrap- 
toms  that  all  is  not  so  flourishing  as  when 


PALISSY   THE    HUGUENOT    POTTER.  35 


we  first  saw  them.  Lisette  looks  thin  and 
worn,  and  there  is  a  shadow  upon  her  brow. 
As  she  goes  down  the  garden  walk  to  caU 
her  husband  to  his  mid-day  meal,  you  see 
h«r  garments  are  poor  and  scanty,  and  she 
has  no  longer  the  trim  look  of  conscious 
comeliness  about  her.  By  her  side,  and 
clinging  to  her  gown,  is  a  delicate  creature, 
whose  pale  face  tells  a  sorrowful  tale  of 
childish  suffering,  and  the  infant  she  is  car- 
rying looks  sallow  and  feeble.  The  furnace 
and  shed  where  Pahssy  is  at  work  are  built 
at  the  end  of  the  garden,  as  far  as  possible 
from  the  house.  Close  by,  is  the  road,  and 
beyond  it  the  fields  and  waste  lands;  there 
was  no  sheltering  wall  or  enclosure  near, 
and  when  the  storms  and  winds  of  winter 
blew,  nothing  could  be  more  bleak  and  com- 
fortless. Palissy  has  drawn  a  doleful  pic- 
ture of  this  scene  of  his  labors.  "  I  was 
every  night,"  he  says,  "  at  the  mercy  of  the 
rains  and  winds,  without  help  or  companion- 
ship,  except  from  the    owls    that   screeched 


B6  PALISSY   THE    HUGUENOT     POTTER. 


on  one  side,  and  the  dogs  that  howled  upon 
the  other;  and  oftenthnes  I  had  nothing  dry 
upon  me,  because  of  the  rains  that  fell." 
At  the  present  time,  however,  it  is  look- 
ing cozy  and  picturesque,  for  the  season  ia 
spring,  and  a  bright  sun  is  shining  over- 
head. There  is  a  glad  sound,  too,  proceed- 
ing from  the  shed,  over  which  its  owner 
has  trained  a  cluster-rose,  whose  tendrils 
have  interwoven  themselves  among  the  reeds, 
and  are  putting  forth  their  blossoms.  It  is 
the  voice  of  Palissy,  chanting,  in  clear  so- 
norous tones,  the  Psalm  which  Luther  loved 
so  well,  and  which  we  sing  in  the  tuneful 
strains  of  our  unequalled  psalmodist  — 

"  God  is  the  refuge  of  his  saints, 
When  storms  of  sharp  distress  invade." 

And  the  little  Nicole,  who  is  busily  occupied 
in  mimic  pottery-work  at  the  door  of  the 
fihed,  chimes  in  with  his  small  voice,  and 
beats  the  time  with  his  wooden  spade.  Li- 
sette's  face  brightened  as  she  listened,  and 
with  cheerful  tones,  she  summoned  Bernard 


PALISSY   THE     HUGUENOT     TOTTEB.  37 


indoors,  and  bade  the  little  boy  lead  his  sis- 
ter back. 

Notwithstanding  Palissy's  psalmody  and 
the  cheerful  face  he  wore,  matters  were  far 
from  satisfactory  at  this  peculiar  juncture. 
In  fact,  he  had  just  undergone  a  heavy  dis- 
appointment, and  was  secretly  making  up 
his  mind  to  a  step  which  it  cost  him  a  griev- 
ous heart-ache  to  have  recourse  to.  Seeing 
that  all  his  experiments  with  his  own  fur- 
nace had  proved  failures,  he  determined  to 
adopt  a  new  scheme,  and  send  the  compo- 
sitions to  be  tested  in  the  kiln  of  some  pot- 
ter. For  this  purpose  he  bought  a  large 
stock  of  crockery,  which  according  to  cus- 
tom, he  broke  into  small  fragments;  three 
or  four  hundreds  of  which  he  covered  with 
various  mixtures,  and  sent  to  a  pottery  some 
league  and  a  half  off,  requesting  the  work- 
men to  bake  this  strange  batch  with  their 
own  vessels.  They  consented  readily  to  let 
the  amateur  potter  try  his  experiments ;  but 
alas !  when  the  operation  was  complete,  and 

^  8  I  O 


38  PALISSY   THE     HUGUENOT     POTTER. 


the  trial  pieces  were  drawn  out,  they  proved 
absolutely  worthless.  Not  the  smallest  ap- 
pearance of  the  longed-for  enamel  was  to  be 
seen  on  any  of  them.  The  cause  of  the  fail- 
ure was  a  secret,  at  the  time,  to  the  griev- 
ously disappointed  Bernard,  and  he  returned 
home  heavily  discouraged,  for  he  knew  that 
his  Avife  and  children  were  deprived  of  many 
comforts  they  might  have  enjoyed,  had  he 
continued  steadily  at  his  occupations  of 
glass-working  and  surveying.  What  was  to 
be  done  ?  "  Begin  afresh."  And  so,  again 
he  fell  to  work,  compounding  and  grinding, 
and  sending  more  batches  to  the  same  pot- 
ters to  be  baked  as  before.  This  he  had 
continued  to  do  time  after  time,  "  with  great 
cost,  loss  of  time,  confusion,  and  sorrow." 
At  length  a  more  than  usually  trying  fail- 
ure had  occurred,  and  many  things  combined 
to  warn  our  artist  that  he  must  desist  for  a 
season  and  procure  some  remunerative  work. 
His  home  resources  were  completely  ex- 
hausted ;  while  the  home  wants  had  greatly 


PALISSY   THE    HUGUENOT    POTTEE.  39 


multiplied,  and  he  could  not  be  blind  to  the 
sorrowful  looks  of  the  woman  he  loved,  nor 
indiflerent  to  the  necessities  of  his  babes. 

Three  years  had  been  spent  about  this 
«^ork,  and,  for  the  present,  he  was  no  wiser 
than  when  he  began,  and  he  resolved  now 
to  try  his  hand  at  the  old  trades.  His  poor 
wife  urged  that  food  and  medicine  must  be 
thought  of,  and  she  lowered  her  voice  as 
she  added  that  the  doctor  had  yet  to  be 
paid  for  her  confinement,  and  for  physicing 
their  lost  darling,  whom  he  said  he  would 
soon  cure ;  notwithstanding  she  pined  and 
languished  like  a  frost-nipped  flower,  that 
fades  away  and  dies.  Poor  mother  !  the  tears 
trickled  down  her  cheeks  at  the  thought; 
and  for  all  there  were  still  three  hungry  lit- 
tle mouths  to  feed,  she  could  not  be  recon- 
ciled to  the  loss  of  one  of  her  treasures. 
But  Palissy  would  not  let  her  dwell  upon 
this  sorrow ;  he  wiped  away  the  tears,  and 
smilingly  said,  he  had  good  news  for  her. 
Yesterday,   there   had    arrived   in   the    town 


40  PALISSY   THE    HUGUENOT    POTTEK. 


the  commissioners  deputed  by  the  king  to 
establish  the  gabelle  in  the  district  of  Sain- 
tonge ;  and  it  seems  they  had  judged  no 
man  in  the  diocese  more  competent  than 
Bernard  Palissy  for  the  task  of  mapping  the 
islands  and  the  countries  surrounding  all  the 
salt  marshes  in  that  part  of  the  world.  It 
was  a  profitable  job,  and  would  occupy  him 
many  months. 

This  was,  indeed,  glad  tidings  for  Lisette  ; 
and  that  night  she  slept  sweetly,  and  dreamed 
of  her  girlhood ;  for  when  the  heart  is  happy 
it  suns  itself  in  the  memories  of  early  days. 
Her  husband's  rest  was  broken  and  per- 
turbed, for  it  pained  him  deeply  to  give  up 
the  struggle  which  had  cost  him  so  much, 
before  he  had  justified  his  pertinacious  efibrts 
by  success. 

Perhaps  it  was  in  reality  advantageous  to 
him,  and  tended  to  his  eventual  success,  thai 
he  was  thus  perforce  constrained  to  taste 
an  interval  of  repose.  When  a  man  has 
been  repeatedly   foiled   it  is   well   to   cease 


PALISSY    THE     HUGUENOT     POTTER.  41 


from  effort  awhile,  and  to  dismiss,  if  pos- 
sible, the  subject  which  has  occupied  his 
thoughts  too  long  and  too  unremittingly. 

Revolving  in  his  mind  such  considerations, 
Palissy  determined  wholly  to  cease  from  his 
labors  in  pursuit  of  the  discovery  on  which 
his  heart  was  set,  and  "  to  comport  himself 
as  if  he  were  not  desirous  to  dive  any  more 
into  the  secrets  of  enamels." 


CHAPTER    III. 

"  Here  is  the  patience  of  the  saints;  here  are  they  that 
keep  the  commandments  of  God,  and  the  faith  of  Jesus." 

Rev.  xiv.  12. 

Op  the  profitable  task  assigned  him  by  the 
commissioners  of  the  gabelle  (or  tax),  PaHssy 
has  left  some  memorial  in  his  spirited  ac- 
count of  the  salt  marshes  of  Saintonge.  The 
work  with  which  he  was  intrusted  was  to 
make  a  plan  of  the  district  adjoining  the 
western  coast  line,  where  was  the  celebrated 
marenne,  which  yielded  the  largest  supply  of 
salt.  At  that  time  Saintonge  was  the  chief 
source  of  salt  in  France,  until  it  was  obtained 
more  abundantly  from  Brittany,  and  a  large 
sum  was  gathered  into  the  royal  revenue 
from  the  tax  produced  by  this  article.  But 
with  all  the  skill  and  energy  of  taxation, 
diflSculties    and    fraud    still     perplexed    and 

42 


PALISSY   THE    HUGUENOT     POTTER.  43 

threatened  the  tax  receivei  s ;  and  in  the 
year  1543,  Francis  I.,  after  trying  various 
means  for  enforcing  the  payment  of  the 
gabelle,  determined  on  a  new  and  more 
stringent  system,  in  consequence  of  which 
it  became  necessary  that  an  accurate  survey 
should  be  taken  and  new  maps  prepared. 

What  chiefly  interests  us  in  this  matter  of 
the  surveying  is  the  fact  that  the  islands 
Oleron,  Allevert,  and  Marepenes — called  the 
Saintonic  Isles  —  which  adjoin  and  form  part 
of  this  marshy  district,  were  a  favorite 
resort  for  the  persecuted  refugees,  who 
brought  the  reformed  tenets  into  Saintonge. 
These  districts  being  remote  from  the  public 
roads,  in  fact,  being  an  intricate  labyrinth 
of  marshes,  afforded  a  safe  hiding-place,  and 
there  several  "  reformed  monks  "  had  estab- 
lished themselves ;  some  taking  to  a  little 
trade,  others  keeping  village  schools,  and 
finding  sundry  means  of  gaining  a  livelihood, 
without  being  known.  As  it  was  impossible 
for   large    ships    to    approach   the   low   flat 


44  PALISSY    THE     HUGUENOT    POTTER. 


coast,  one  of  the  chief  difficulties  in  ordering 
the  marshes  was  to  form  channels  of  com- 
munication by  which  the  salt  made  on  them 
might  be  conveyed  to  the  open  sea.  An 
immense  amount  of  money  and  labor  had 
been  expended  in  the  construction  of  dykes, 
canals,  or  passages  —  of  which  there  was  a 
perfect  network,  extending  many  miles  —  to 
afford  the  means  of  bringing  up  small  barques 
or  vessels,  which  thus  penetrated  the  flat 
country,  and  conveyed  the  salt  from  thence. 
So  intricate  was  this  labyrinthine  communi- 
cation that  a  stranger  inclosed  therein  with- 
out a  guide,  would  have  been  wholly  unable 
to  thread  his  way,  or  extricate  himself  from 
their  meshes.  During  the  winter  season,  all 
these  marshes  were  flooded,  in  order  that  the 
clay  which  formed  the  foundation  of  the 
dykes  or  canals,  might  be  protected  by  the 
water  from  the  destructive  bite  of  the  frost ; 
and  thus,  for  a  considerable  part  of  the  year, 
all  communication  was  blocked  up,  or  wholly 
cut  off.     What  an  admirable  place  of  refuge 


PALIS3T   THE    HUGUENOT    POTTER.  46 


must  this  district  have  afforded  to  men 
hunted  like  partridges  upon  the  mountains  ! 
Accordingly  here  the  three  refugees  brought 
by  Hamelin,  together  with  many  others  simi- 
larly circumstanced,  had  found  shelter :  men 
ihese,  whose  guileless  lives  and  active  charity 
commended  them  to  the  esteem  of  the  poor 
peasants  among  whom  they  had  sought  a 
home.  They  visited  in  their  cottages,  minis- 
tered, as  best  they  could,  to  their  wants,  and 
ventured  by  degrees  to  promulgate  those 
spiritual  truths,  for  the  sake  of  which  they 
had  suffered  the  loss  of  all  worldly  goods, 
and  were  prepared  to  yield  life  itself  At 
first  their  instructions  were  cautiously  given. 
They  spoke  in  parables,  and  with  hidden 
meaning,  until  they  were  assured  they  should 
not  be  betrayed.  Slowly,  but  steadily,  the 
leaven  had  begun  to  work,  and  it  was  shortly 
after  Palissy  had  completed  his  task  (which 
involved  no  slight  labor,  and  occupied  him 
more  than  a  year),  that  a  report  came  to  the 
ears  of  the  Bishop  of  Saintes,  that  the  place 


40  PALISSY   THE    HUGUENOT    POTTER. 


was  full  of  Lutherans,  whom  it  was  highly 
desirable  to  extirpate  without  delay. 

The  devii  never  wants  for  agents  to  exe- 
cute his  malicious  purposes ;  and,  at  this 
juncture,  a  man  of  "  perverse  and  evil  life," 
named  Collardeau  (a  fiscal  attorney),  set  busily 
to  work  to  discover  the  lurking  places  of 
the  heretics.  In  that  day,  Saintes  was  an 
extensive  and  lucrative  bishopric,  including 
more  than  seven  hundred  parishes,  and  its 
bishop  was  an  august  personage,  in  whose 
veins  flowed  "  the  blood  of  St.  Louis,'' 
Charles,  cardinal  of  Bourbon,  brother  of  the 
king  of  Navarre,  then  twenty-three  years  ot 
age.  His  fitting  place  was  the  court,  and, 
accordingly,  there  he  abode,  taking  small 
note  of  the  heretical  doings  among  the  poor 
villagers  of  the  Saintonic  Isles. 

With  zeal  worthy  a  good  cause,  Collardeau 
not  only  repeatedly  wrote  to  this  high  digni- 
tary, preferring  his  charges,  but  eventually 
crowned  his  energetic  efforts  by  a  journey 
to  the  capital,  and  by  these  means  he  sue* 


PALISSY   THE    HUGUENOT    POTTEE.  47 


ceeded  in  obtaining  a  commission  from  the 
bishop  and  the  parhament  of  Bordeaux,  with 
ample  funds  for  carrying  out  liis  designs. 
Thus  furnished,  he  proceeded  to  work  upon 
the  cupidity  of  certain  judges,  with  whom 
he  tampered  so  successfully  that  he  procured 
the  arrest  of  the  preacher  of  St.  Denis,  a 
small  town  at  the  extremity  of  the  isle  of 
Oleron,  named  brother  Robin,  a  man  of  such 
metal  that  the  principal  anxiety  had  been 
to  lay  hand  upon  him  by  way  of  example. 
Shortly  after,  another  preacher  named  Nicole 
was  taken;  and  a  few  days  later  a  similar 
fate  overtook  the  schoolmaster  at  Gimosac, 
a  man  much  beloved  of  the  inhabitants,  to 
whom  he  preached  on  Sundays.  This  last 
arrest  keenly  touched  the  heart  of  Palissy 
He  knew  and  esteemed  the  good  brother 
and  had  intrusted  to  his  care  his  little  Nicole 
who  had  been  placed  at  the  school  of  Gimo 
sac  from  the  time  Bernard  had  made  his  sur- 
vey of  the  marshes.  The  poor  child  wept 
bitterly  as  he    described  to  his  parents   the 


48  PALiSSY    THE     HUGUENOT    POTTER. 


grievous  parting  liis  young  eyes  had  wit- 
nes?sed;  for,  undaunted  by  tiie  threats  of 
their  cruel  enemies,  the  poor  villagers  accom- 
panied, with  prayers,  tears,  and  lamentations, 
their  beloved  instructor  to  the  shores  of  their 
little  island.  Alas !  there,  perforce,  they 
parted,  never  to  meet  on  earth  again. 

It  was  the  eve  of  St.  John,  the  23d  of 
June,  1546;  when  the  citizens  of  Saintes 
beheld  a  strange  and  ominous  scene,  the 
commencement  of  the  horrors  subsequently 
perpetrated  within  the  walls  of  their  ancient 
town.  The  day,  being  a  gala  one,  was 
ushered  in  with  music  of  every  kind,  while 
the  whole  population,  down  to  the  lowest 
of  the  multitude,  were  decorated  with  flowers. 
Old  pitch  barrels  and  faggots  piled  up  along 
the  banks  of  the  river,  lay  in  readiness  for 
the  illuminations  of  the  evening,  while  games, 
dances,  and  banquets  were  the  diversions  of 
the  day.  In  the  afternoon,  there  were  to  be 
many  hogsheads  of  claret  delivered  out,  and 
a   universal    merry-making   prevailed.     From 


PALISSY   THE    HUGUENOT    POTTER.  49 


an  early  hour  crowds  hastened  to  perform 
their  devotions  at  the  shrine  of  the  patron 
saint  of  the  city,  carrying  with  them  their 
votive  offerings  with  which  to  propitiate  his 
favor. 

Among  the  multitude  who  thronged  the 
high  street  at  noon  were  two  men,  one  tall, 
and  of  a  vigorous  form,  who  looked  with 
an  air  of  thoughtful  concern  around  him. 
He  was  still  in  the  prime  of  manhood,  and 
about  his  whole  bearing  there  was  a  certain 
air  of  energetic  intelligence,  while,  ever  and 
anon,  his  eyes  kindled  with  the  fire  of  enthu- 
siasm :  one  saw  at  once  he  was  a  worker, 
and  that  what  his  hands  found  to  do  would 
be  done  with  all  his  might.  His  companion 
was  small  and  deformed,  and  would  not  have 
awakened  any  interest  save  from  the  intense 
feeling  visible  on  his  pale  sunken  counte- 
nance. The  two  were  approaching  the 
church  of  St.  Eutropius,  where  the  saint  was 
displayed  to  the  admiring  gaze  of  the  people. 
On  entering  the  sacred  edifice,  all  kneeled 
4 


50  PALISSY   THE    HUGUENOT    POTTER. 


down  reverently  before  a  kind  of  cupboard 
with  an  iron  grating  before  it,  and  at  an 
awful  distance  made  sundry  genuflections, 
and  uttered  various  prayers.  At  last,  the 
attendant  priests  opened  the  door  of  the 
closet  where  the  head  of  the  saint  was  de- 
posited, and  displayed  the  treasure  to  view. 
It  would  be  difficult  to  conceive  an  object 
less  calculated  to  awaken  feelings  of  true 
devotion  than  that  presented  for  adoration. 
It  was  very  large,  and  formed  entirely  of 
solid  silver;  the  hair  and  an  immense  pair 
of  whiskers  were  gilt,  and  the  shoulders 
were  covered  with  lawn,  and  decorated  with 
glittering  gems.  All  around  were  placed  the 
gifts  brought  by  the  deluded  people,  who 
ascribed  the  most  marvellous  powers  of  heal- 
ing to  this  graven  image.  The  divinity  was 
absolutely  encircled  with  their  votive  offer- 
ings. Group  after  group,  alternately  advanc- 
ing and  retiring,  filled  up  the  charch,  and 
then  emerged  into  the  busy  streets  to  gaze 
upon  the  crowds  of  gaily-bedecked  revellers, 
and  gossip  over  the  news  of  the  day. 


PALISSY  THE   HUGUENOT   POTTER.  61 


Close  to  the  gate  of  the  church  Palissy 
and  his  companion  had  taken  their  stand, 
and  were  conversing  together  in  low  tones. 
''  Alas  !  I  know  the  truth  of  the  facts,  and 
can  assert  them  for  such,"  said  the  former, 
"  nay,  I  was  myself  present  when  the  three 
brethren  admirably  disputed  and  maintained 
their  religion  in  the  presence  of  that  false 
theologian,  Navieres,  who  had  himself,  some 
months  ago,  begun  to  detect  errors,  although 
now,  conquered  by  his  love  of  gain,  he 
stoutly  upholds  the  contrary.  Well  did  broth- 
er Robin  know  how  to  reproach  him  with 
this  to  his  face,  and  he  flinched  under  his 
words,  but  for  all  the  right  is  with  the  poor 
heretics,  as  they  are  called,  the  power  is 
with  their  enemies,  and  they  have  ever  since 
languished  in  prison.  After  a  while  Robin 
fell  sick  of  pleurisy,  and,  as  it  was  feared  he 
might  die  in  his  bed,  after  all,  they  sent 
both  for  physician  and  apothecary,  the  latter 
of  whom  is  well  known  to  me,  having  been 
but   too   frequent   a   visitor   in   my  afflicted 


52  PALISSY  THE    HUGUENOT    POTTER. 


household.     The  worthy  man   has    conveyed 
many  a   message  from   me  to   the   brethren, 
and  in  more  ways  than  one  has  done   them 
good  service."     "  And   now  they  are     to  be 
made   a    show  of   openly,  like   the    servants 
of  the  Lord  in  former  times,"  said  Bernard's 
comrade  ;    "  it   is  a   hateful   thing  when   the 
wicked  triumph,  and  when  the  righteous  are 
as  the  oflf-scouring  of  all  things."     "Patience, 
my  good  Victor,"   rephed  the    sturdy  potter. 
"  Let   us   see   the    end   of  these   things.     At 
present  we  are  but  in  the  beginning  of  sor- 
rows;   I   am    of  opinion   we    must    lay   our 
account  for  trouble,  and  assure  ourselves  that 
wo  shall  have  enemies  and  be  persecuted  ;  if, 
'■\j  direct   paths,  we  will   follow  and   sustain 
the  cause  of  God ;  for  such  are  the  promises 
written  originally  in  the  Old  and  New  Testa^ 
ments.     Let  us,  then,  take  refuge  under  the 
shelter  of  our  protecting  Chief  and  Captain 
the  Lord  Christ,  who,  in  time  and  place,  will 
know  how  properly  to  avenge  the  wrongs  hia 
people  have  suffered,  and  our  sorrows." 


PALISSY   THE    HUGUENOT    POTTER.  53 


As  he  spoke,  the  sound  of  music  was 
heard  at  a  distance,  and  presently  a  noisy 
rabble  crowded  the  street,  running,  shout- 
ing, pushing,  and  gesticulating.  Then  fol- 
lowed the  procession,  whose  approach  had 
been  heralded  by  the  sound  of  drums,  fifes, 
and  tabrets ;  horsemen  gaily  attired,  rode, 
two  and  two,  at  a  foot  pace ;  then  flags  and 
banners  were  borne  aloft,  and  a  troop  of 
priests,  bare-footed,  and  carrying  torches, 
advanced  at  a  slow  pace.  A  strange  and 
melancholy  sight  was  next  presented  to  the 
eyes  of  the  by-standers :  three  men,  capar- 
isoned in  green,  and  bedizened  with  flutter 
ing  ribbons,  walked,  bridled  like  horses,  and 
each  of  them  having  an  apple  of  iron  fas- 
tened to  the  bridle,  which  filled  all  the  inside 
of  his  mouth.  Thus  tortured  and  degraded, 
the  three  brethren,  Robin,  Nicole,  and  he 
of  Gimosac,  were  driven,  like  beasts,  by 
their  cruel  enemy,  Collardeau,  who  triumph- 
antly conducted  them,  in  this  wise,  to  a 
scaffold,  which  was  erected   in   the   market 


54:  PALISSY   THE    HUGUENOT    POTTER. 


place,  that  they  might  there  be  exposed  to 
the  pubHc  execration,  as  fools  and  madmen. 
This  done,  they  were  returned  to  prison, 
thence  to  be  conveyed  to  Bordeaux  to  re- 
ceive sentence  of  death. 

"  A  hideous  sight  to  behold,"  said  Palissy, 
drawing  a  deep  breath,  as  he  looked  after 
the  three  sufferers,  whose  sole  crime  was 
that  they  had  manfully  upheld  the  cause  of 
truth,  "  and  one  that  makes  us  marvel  at 
the  wondrous  patience  of  God.  How  long, 
O  Lord,  wilt  thou  leave  thy  chosen  ones 
at  the  mercy  of  those  who  cease  not  to 
torment  them?"  This  sorrowful  exclama- 
tion had  scarcely  been  uttered,  when  two 
fellows  who  stood  near  fell  to  quarrelling 
and  beating  each  other.  A  ring  was  soon 
formed  around  them,  and  the  by-standers 
looking  on,  cried,  "  Give  it  him  well ;  strike 
as  though  he  were  an  heretic."  "Alas!" 
said  Palissy,  "  what  frightful  crimes  will  be 
committed  when  such  a  spirit  grows  rife ; 
already  terrible   things  are  done    elsewhere. 


PALISSY   THE     HUGUENOT    POTTER.  55 


I  heard  but  yesterday,  through  one  who 
shall  be  nameless,  that  many  are  burned 
and  destroyed  in  various  ways,  in  Paris  and 
elsewhere.  A  peasant  in  the  forest  of  Lyon, 
met  four  men  who  were  on  their  way  to 
execution.  He  asked  the  reason  of  their 
punishment,  and  having  learned  they  were 
Huguenots,  claimed  a  place  upon  the  cart, 
and  went  to  the  gallows  with  them." 

That  evening  there  occurred  what  Ber- 
nard called  "  an  admirable  accident."  The 
three  heretics  had  been  conveyed  to  their 
prison-house  carefully  guarded ;  and,  above 
all,  Robin,  who  was  the  principal  object  of 
hatred,  and  whom  it  was  designed  to  put 
to  death  with  the  most  cruelty.  He  was 
kept,  with  his  companions,  heavily  ironed, 
in  a  prison  attached  to  the  bishop's  palace, 
and  a  sentry  was  placed  to  watch  outside, 
while  a  number  of  large  village  dogs  were 
turned  into  the  couit-yard.  But,  for  all 
these  precautions,  Robin  did  not  despair. 
He    had    obtained    a   file    (probably  Palissy 


56  PALISSY   THE     HUGUENOT     POTTER. 


could  have  told  how  he  managed  this,)  and 
having  filed  off  the  irons  which  were  upon 
his  legs,  he  gave  the  file  to  his  fellow-cap' 
tives,  and  proceeded  to  scrape  a  hole  through 
the  prison  wall.  But  a  strange  accident  here 
occurred.  It  chanced  that  a  number  ot 
hogsheads  which  had  been  emptied  during 
the  fete,  had  been  piled,  one  above  another, 
against  the  wall,  and  these  being  pushed 
down  by  the  prisoner,  in  his  efi"orts  at 
escape,  fell  with  rumbling  noise,  and  awak- 
ened the  sleeping  sentry,  who  listened  for 
a  while,  but  hearing  nothing  further,  and 
overcome  by  the  fumes  of  the  liquor  in 
which  he  had  indulged  somewhat  freely,  re- 
lapsed into  slumber.  Bernard  tells,  in  his 
quaint  manner,  what  next  befell,  thus  :  "  Then 
the  said  Robin  went  out  into  the  court  at 
the  mercy  of  the  dogs  ;  however,  God  had 
inspired  him  to  take  some  bread,  which  he 
threw  to  the  said  dogs,  who  were  quiet  as 
the  lions  of  Daniel.  It  was  so  ordered  that 
he  should  find  an  open  door,  which  led  into 


PALISSy    THE    HUGUENOT     POTTER.  57 


the  garden,  where,  finding  himself  again  shut 
up  between  certain  somewhat  high  walls,  he 
perceived  by  the  light  of  the  moon,  a  tall 
pear  tree,  close  enough  to  the  outer  wall, 
and  having  mounted  this,  he  perceived,  on 
the  outer  side  of  the  wall,  a  chimney,  to 
which  he  could  leap  easily  enough."  He 
was  soon  safe  in  the  street,  but,  having  never 
been  in  the  town  before,  he  was  at  a  loss 
how  to  proceed.  In  this  dilemma,  the  clever 
fugitive  recalled  to  mind  the  names  of  the 
physician  and  apothecary  who  had  attended 
him,  and  went  knocking  from  door  to  door 
inquiring  for  their  residence.  He  had  con- 
trived to  fasten  his  fetters  to  his  leg,  and 
carrying  his  dress  about  his  shoulders,  had 
the  adroitness  to  arrange  it  somewhat  after 
the  costume  of  a  footman,  so  that  the  people 
whom  he  roused  were  deceived,  and  suppos- 
ing it  to  be  an  urgent  case  of  sickness,  gave 
him  the  necessary  directions.  In  this  man- 
ner he  succeeded  in  gaining  the  shelter  of 
a  friendly   roof,  and   from   thence   was   con- 


58  PALISSY    THE    HUGUENOT    POTTER. 


ducted  safely  out  of  the  town  ;  nor  was  he 
again  taken,  though,  m  the  course  of  hia 
perilous  adventure,  he  had  knocked  at  the 
door  of  one  of  his  principal  enemies,  who, 
in  the  morning,  offered  a  reward  of  fifty  dol- 
lars for  his  recapture. 

Alas,  for  Nicole  and  the  kind-hearted 
schoolmaster  of  Gimosac.  Brother  Robin 
would  fain  have  had  them  accompany  him 
and  share  his  risk,  but  they  chose  rather 
to  remain  in  their  fetters.  Seeing  they  had 
neither  strength  nor  energy  to  follow  his 
example,  he  took  a  sorrowful  leave  of  them, 
praying  with  and  consoling  them,  exhorting 
them  to  do  valiantly,  and  to  meet  death  with 
courage.  Both  perished  in  the  flames  a  few 
days  after ;  one  in  the  city  of  Saintes,  and 
the  other  at  Libourne.  The  heart  of  Palissy 
was  too  full  to  suffer  him  to  detail  the  par- 
ticulars of  this  event.  It  was  the  first  time 
the  fires  of  persecution  had  blazed  before  his 
eyes ;  and  as  he  gazed  upon  the  terrific  sight, 


PALISSY   THE    UUGUENOT    POTTER.  59 


his  soul  was  kindled  with  a  zeal  unquench- 
able, and  from  that  time  the  whole  force 
of  his  energy  was  upon  the  si-ie  sf  Ki" 
3,ef^^'•meIs. 


CHAPTER    IV. 

"Then  I  went  down  to  the  potter's  house,  and,  behold, 
he  wrought  a  work  on  the  wheels.  And  the  vesBel  thai 
he  made  of  clay  was  marred  in  the  hand  of  the  potter." 

Jek.  xviii.  3,  4. 

Shortly  before  the  events  recorded  in 
the  preceding  chapter,  there  had  been  no 
small  excitement  among  Palissy's  poor  neigh- 
bors and  acquaintance,  with  reference  to  his 
proceedings.  Day  after  day  little  knots  of 
gossips  might  be  seen,  lounging  about  the 
neighborhood  of  his  garden  and  work-shed, 
expressing,  in  various  ways,  their  surprise 
and  indignation  at  his  conduct,  and  exclaim- 
ing, in  no  measured  terms,  against  his  ob- 
stinate and  mad  folly.  This  indignation 
reached  its  height  when,  one  day,  the  report 
spread,  far  and  wide,  that  the  poor  man  was 
actually  insane,  and  had  torn  up  the  palings 
of  his  garden,  and  the  planks  of  his  dwell 

6  0 


PALISSY   THE    HUGUENOl     POTTER.  61 


ing-house,  and  that  his  unhappy  wife,  half- 
crazed  with  his  conduct,  had  herself  rushed 
out  of  the  house,  accompanied  by  her  chil- 
dren, and  taken  refuge  with  a  neighbor. 

In  order  to  account  for  all  this,  it  is  neces- 
sary to  retrace  our  steps,  and  relate  in  what 
manner  our  artist  has  been  spending  the  two 
years  that  have  intervened  since  his  marsh- 
surveying. 

Undaunted  by  the  failure  of  his  early 
efforts,  and  relieved,  for  a  time,  from  anxiety 
on  the  score  of  domestic  wants,  Palissy,  giv- 
ing the  money  he  had  received  for  the  ex- 
ecution of  his  task  into  the  hands  of  his 
wife,  resumed  his  "  affection  for  pursuing  in 
the  track  of  the  enamels." 

Two  years  of  unremitting  and  zealous 
labor  followed,  productive  of  no  practical 
results,  although  there  had  once  been  a  par- 
tial melting  of  some  of  his  compounds, 
which  gave  him  sufficient  encouragement  to 
persist.  During  those  two  long  years,  he 
tells  us,  he    did   nothing   but   come  and   go 


^ 


62  PALISSY  THE    HUGUENOT    POTTER. 


between  his  dwelling  and  the  adjacent  glass- 
houses,  where  the  furnaces,  being  much 
hotter  than  those  of  the  potteries,  were 
more  likely  to  be  successful  in  melting  his 
materials. 

Was  it  any  marvel  if  poverty  and  sorrow 
nvaded  his  household ;  if  his  wife  grew 
moody  and  sad,  and  if  the  neighbors,  pity- 
ing the  hapless  woman  and  innocent  children, 
pronounced  hard  judgment  upon  a  man  who 
consumed  his  time  in  buying  pots  and  break- 
ing them,  in  grinding  drugs  and  burning 
them,  and  in  going  to  and  fro  upon  his 
bootless  errand  ?  Death,  too,  had  once 
and  again  entered  his  doors,  bearing  away 
the  two  sickly  infants  we  saw  clinging  to 
their  mother,  while  in  their  place,  two 
others  had  been  born,  inheriting,  alas  !  their 
malady.  Of  late,  Lisette,  full  of  gloomy 
thoughts,  had  taken  to  complaining,  and  re- 
monstrating with  her  husband.  Her  temper 
had  been  soured  by  disappointment  and 
trouble ;  and  hope,  so  long  deferred,  ceased 


PALIS8T   TSE   HUGUENOT   POTTER.  63 


to  buoy  up  her  spirit.  She  could  not  un- 
derstand the  course  Bernard  was  pursuing 
She  did  not  partake  in  his  glowing  visions 
of  future  fame  and  prosperity,  and  the  in- 
stinct of  power  and  the  energy  of  will  that 
nerved  and  inspired  him  were  all  unknown 
to  and  unshared  by  her.  Poor  suffering 
woman  !  She  felt  as  any  other  common- 
sense  wife  and  mother  would  have  felt  in 
her  circumstances ;  and  bewailing  his  obsti- 
nate persistence  in  such  profitless  labor, 
she  embittered  his  home  by  her  lamenta- 
tions and  reproaches. 

In  this  strait  Palissy  began  to  give  way : 
he  faltered,  and  at  length  made  a  compro- 
mise with  his  anxious  helpmate.  One  more 
last  trial  he  pleaded  for ;  and  then  —  if  it 
failed,  he  would  abandon  the  search  for  ever ! 
He  must  have  felt  that  the  happiness  as  well 
as  the  fortune  of  his  life,  depended  on  the 
cast.  Rather,  we  learn  from  his  own  touch- 
ing account  of  what  ensued,  that  he  looked 
for  counsel  and  help  from  above.     In  all  hia 


64  PALISSY   THE   HUGUENOT   POTTER. 


ways  did  this  good  man  acknowledge  his 
heavenly  Father's  hand,  and  seek  his  bless- 
ing. What  befell,  in  this  crisis,  he  thus  tells 
us :  "  God  willed  that,  when  I  had  begun 
to  lose  my  courage,  and  was  gone  for  the 
last  time  to  a  glass  furnace,  having  a  man 
with  me  carrying  more  than  three  hundred 
kinds  of  trial  pieces,  there  was  one  among 
them  which  was  melted  within  four  hours 
after  it  had  been  placed  in  the  furnace, 
which  turned  out  white  and  polished,  in  a 
way  that  caused  me  to  feel  such  joy  as  made 
me  think  I  was  become  a  new  creature." 

With  winged  feet  he  flew  home,  bearing 
his  treasure,  which  he  pronounced  "  exceed- 
ingly beautiful,"  and,  almost  beside  himself 
with  delight,  he  rushed  into  the  chamber, 
where  his  poor  wife  lay  in  her  sick  bed, 
and  holding  up  the  shining  white  frag- 
ment, exclaimed,  "  I  have  found  it!"  Lisette 
caught  the  infection  of  his  gladness,  and 
hailed  the  first  ray  of  returning  prosperity. 
Poor  woman,  she  little  knew  how  long  she 


PALIS8Y  THE   HUGUENOT   POTTER.  66 


mnst  wait  before  she  could  warm  herself  in 
its  sunshine. 

But  Palissy  was  convinced  that  he  had 
now  discovered  the  full  perfection  of  the 
white  enamel ;  and  his  delight  was  in  pro- 
portion to  all  the  toil  and  struggle  the  dis- 
covery had  cost  him.  No  more  any  idea, 
now,  of  giving  over,  and  retuniing  to  his 
old  calling.  Illustrious  results  must  soon 
follow,  he  was  sure,  and  from  henceforth 
it  was  necessary  he  should  work  privately, 
and  construct  for  his  own  use  a  furnace 
like  that  of  the  glass-workers.  Already  in 
imagination  stretching  out  his  hand  to  grasp 
the  prize,  he  eagerly  betook  himself  to  mould- 
ing vessels  of  clay,  shaped  after  his  own 
designs,  which,  covered  with  the  exquisite 
white  enamel  he  had  discovered,  he  purposed 
to  adorn  with  lovely  paintings.  He  saw 
them  doubtless  in  his  mind's  eye,  beautiful, 
as  those  he  actually  produced  in  after  years 
—  those  perfect  master-pieces  of  porcelain 
in    relief,    and    dishes    ornamented    with    fig- 


6^  PALISSY   THE   HUGUENOT   POTTER. 


ures,  beasts,  reptiles,  insects,  beetles,  and 
flowers :  treasures  of  art,  full  of  grace, 
beauty,  and  simplicity,  which  were  eagerly 
purchased  by  the  rich  seigneurs  of  that  day, 
to  adorn  their  cabinets  and  beautify  their 
chateau,  and  which  now  sell  for  their  weight 
in  gold. 

But  though  his  fancy  saw  them,  as  his 
taste,  so  exquisite  and  refined,  had  already 
designed  them,  still  it  was  with  the  rough 
clay  his  hands  were  actually  at  work,  and 
he  had,  unfortunately  for  his  present  need, 
"  never  understood  earths." 

Some  seven  or  eight  months  more  were 
expended  in  making  these  vessels,  and  then 
he  began  to  erect  the  furnace.  With  in- 
credible difficulty  and  labor  —  for  he  had 
none  to  assist  him  in  the  work,  not  even 
so  much  as  to  draw  water,  and  fetch 
bricks  from  the  kiln  —  the  indefatigable  man 
wrought  till  he  had  completed  the  furnace, 
and  the  preliminary  baking  of  his  vessels. 
And  then,  instead  of  reposing  after   all  this 


PALISST  THE   HUGUENOT   POTTER.  67 


toil,  by  the  space  of  more  than  a  month, 
he  worked,  night  and  day,  grinding  and 
compounding  the  materials  of  which  he  had 
made  the  white  enamel.  At  length  his  task 
was  completed,  and  the  vessels,  coated 
with  the  mixture,  were  arranged  within  the 
furnace. 

Look  at  him  now  1 — he  has  kindled  his 
furnace  fire,  and  is  feeding  it  through  its 
two  mouths.  He  does  not  spare  the  fuel; 
he  diligently  throws  it  in,  all  day ;  he  suffers 
it  not  to  slacken  all  night.  Yet  the  enamel 
does  not  melt.  The  sun  rises,  bright  and 
glowing,  and  Nicole,  now  a  sturdy  boy  of 
eleven  or  twelve  years  old,  brings  his  father 
a  basin  of  pottage  for  breakfast ;  a  poor  and 
scanty  meal,  ill-fitted  to  recruit  his  over- 
taxed powers,  but  eagerly  devoured  by  the 
hungry  artisan,  who  pauses  for  a  few  mo- 
ments in  order  to  swallow  it.  How  pale 
and  thin,  and  haggard  he  looks !  What  a 
strained  expression  does  his  countenance 
wear  I  But  all  indomitable  and  calmly  hope- 
ful 'mid  his  toil. 


68  PALI8SY   THE   HUGUENOT   POTTEE. 


"  God  bless  thee,  my  child,"  he  says,  as  ho 
returns  the  empty  basin  to  the  boy ;  "  learn 
well  thy  lesson  to-day,  and  to-morrow,  I  hope, 
we  may  make  holiday,  and  ramble  together 
through  the  fields,  as  we  once  used  to  do." 
"  Nay,  father,  and  who  will  mind  the  fur- 
nace?" "  I  trust  it  will  have  done  its  work. 
The  enamel  will  surely  melt  soon." 

But  the  hours  of  that  day  passed  on ;  and 
the  dark  night  succeeded,  and  still,  amid  the 
blaze  and  crackle  of  the  furnace,  Palissy 
worked  on.  Another  day  dawns ;  and  still 
he  feeds  his  fire.  Worn  and  weary,  he  occa^ 
sionally  drops  asleep  for  some  minutes,  but 
his  ever  wakeful  spirit  rouses  him  almost 
instantly,  and  he  throws  in  more  wood,  again. 
In  vain.  Six  days  and  six  nights  has  he 
spent  about  the  glowing  furnace,  each  day 
more  anxious  and  laborious  than  the  pre- 
ceding—  but  the  enamel  has  not  melted.  At 
length,  convinced  that  something  is  amiss, 
he  ceases  from  his  task.  He  sits,  with  droop- 
ing h6ad  and  lack-lustre  eye,  gazing  on  the 


PALISSY    THE    HUGUENOT    POTTEK.  69 


smouldering  fires,  which  begin  slowly  to 
slacken  ready  to  die  away.  What  will  he 
do  nefxt?  In  few  and  heart-stirring  words 
he  telis  us  what : — "  Seeing  it  was  not  po&- 
sible  to  make  the  said  enamel  melt,  I  was 
like  a  man  in  desperation ;  and  although 
quite  stupified  with  labor,  I  counselled  to 
myself  that  in  my  mixture  there  might  be 
some  fault.  Therefore  I  began  once  more 
to  pound  and  grind  more  materials,  all  the 
time  without  letting  my  furnace  cool ;  in 
this  way  I  had  double  labor,  to  pound,  grind, 
and  maintain  the  fire.  I  was  also  forced  to 
go  again  and  purchase  pots,  in  order  to 
prove  the  said  compound,  seeing  that  I  had 
lost  all  the  vessels  which  I  had  made  myself. 
And  having  covered  the  new  pieces  with  the ' 
said  enamel,  I  put  them  into  the  furnace, 
keeping  the  fire  still  at  its  height.  But  now 
occurred  a  new  misfortune,  which  caused 
me  great  mortification — namely,  that  the 
wood  having  failed  me,  I  was  forced  to  burn 
the  palings  which  maintained  the  boundaries 


70  PALISSY   THE   HUGUENOT   POTTEB. 


of  my  garden,  which  being  burnt,  also,  I  was 
forced  to  burn  the  tables  and  the  flooring 
of  my  house,  to  cause  the  melting  of  the 
second  composition.  I  suffered  an  anguish 
that  I  cannot  speak,  for  I  was  quite  exhausted 
and  dried  up  by  the  heat  of  the  furnace  ;  it 
was  more  than  a  month  since  my  shirt  had 
been  dry  upon  me.  Further  to  console  me, 
I  was  the  object  of  mockery ;  even  those 
from  whom  solace  was  due  ran  crying  through 
the  town  that  I  was  burning  my  floors.  In 
this  way  my  credit  was  taken  from  me,  and 
I  was  regarded  as  a  madman." 

How  grievous  those  plaintive  words — 
scarcely  condemnatory — yet  keenly  sensitive 
to  desertion  on  the  part  of  those  who  should 
have  comforted  in  the  time  of  his  calamity  I 
It  was  a  scandal  under  which  he  pined  away, 
and  with  bowed  head,  slipped  through  the 
streets  like  a  man  put  to  shame.  No  one 
gave  him  consolation  in  this  extremity ;  on 
the  contrary,  men  jested  at  him,  saying  it 
H^as  right  and  just  that  he  who  had  left  off 


P4LISSY    THE    HUGUENOT    POTTER.  71 


•  ^flowing  his  trade  should  die  of  hunger. 
"Will  he  succumb  to  this  new  trial  ?  Hear 
the  brave  heart's  resolve  — "  All  these  things 
assailed  my  ears  when  I  passed  through  the 
street;  but  for  all  that  there  remained  still 
some  hope  which  encouraged  and  sustained 
me.  So,  when  I  had  dwelt  with  mj  regrets 
a  little,  because  there  was  no  one  who  had 
pity  upon  me,  I  said  to  my  soul :  '  Wherefore 
art  thou  saddened,  since  thou  hast  found  the 
object  of  thy  search?  Labor  now,  and  the 
defamers  will  live  to  be  ashamed.'  " 

For  a  few  sad  days  only,  Palissy  "  dwelt 
with  his  regrets."  But  "  a  little  while  "  did 
he  indulge  his  sorrow.  Scarcely  had  his 
physical  powers,  exhausted  by  long  tension, 
regained  their  spring,  than  he  was  again  in 
pursuit  of  his  darling  object.  Could  he  but 
find  some  friendly  hand  to  aid  him  a  little, 
all  would  go  well ;  but  where  was  the  good 
Samaritan  to  be  sought  ?  Alas  I  he  knew  of 
none.  Pondering  sorrowfully  over  this  mat- 
ter, he  one   evening  chanced  to  pass  by  a 


72  PALISSY   THE   HUGUENOT   POTTEB. 


small  inn  on  the  outskirts  of  the  town,  and 
saw  sitting  on  the  bench,  beside  the  door, 
two  or  iSiree  laboring  men  who  had  just 
come  from  the  fields.  One  of  these  was  a 
potter,  whom  PaHssy  knew  to  be  a  good 
workman.  The  thought  immediately  came 
into  his  mind,  could  he  but  engage  the  ser- 
vices of  this  man  for  a  few  months,  it  would 
be  the  very  thing  he  wanted.  At  that  in- 
stant the  host  stepped  out  into  the  porch, 
and,  seeing  Bernard,  addressed  a  few  friendly 
words  to  him.  They  sounded  sweet  to  the 
thirsty  soul  that  craved  for  sympathy,  and 
he  gladly  accepted  the  landlord's  offer  of  a 
refreshing  draught,  and  presently  entered 
into  chat  with  him.  As  they  conversed,  it 
chanced  that  mention  was  made  of  the  re- 
ligious troubles  then  so  thickly  gathering 
around  their  father-land.  A  chord  of  sym- 
pathy was  thus  struck,  to  which  their  hearts 
responded  with  deep  feeling.  It  soon  ap- 
peared that  Hamelin  was  not  unknown  to 
the  worthy  inn-keeper  ;  he  had,  indeed,  found 


PALISSY   THE   HUGUENOT   POTTER.  73 


Bhelter  of  old,  beneath  his  roof,  when  closely 
pressed  by  the  i^ies  of  Collardeau.  In  short, 
Palissy  had  found  one  like-minded  with  him- 
self; and  mutual  good-will  toward  the  new 
religion  formed  a  bond  between  himself  and 
Victor.  This  man  was  the  same  whom  we 
have  already  seen  in  company  with  Bernard, 
on  the  eve  of  St.  John,  when  they  beheld 
that  cruel  sight  which  made  their  hearts 
bum  with  righteous  zeal.  Victor,  the  little, 
deformed  inn-keeper,  was  a  man  of  sterling 
worth  and  rare  courage,  and  he  proved  a 
steady  friend  and  ally  to  Palissy.  Learning 
from  him  his  present  diflSculties,  he  at  once 
oflfered  to  give  the  potter  all  his  meals,  and 
to  lodge  him  for  six  months,  putting  the  cost 
down  to  the  account  of  Bernard. 

And  thus  was  he  started  afresh,  with  new 
hope.  He  had  made  drawings  of  the  vessels 
he  wanted  to  produce,  and  these  he  gave 
to  the  potter,  as  models  to  work  by,  while 
he  occupied  himself  about  some  medallions 
which  he  was  commissioned  to  execute,  and 


74  PALJSSy   THE    HUGUENOT    POTTEH. 


in  this  manner  he  gained  a  little  ready  money 
on  which  to  support  himse]f*and  his  family. 
As  for  the  debts  he  owed,  the  payment  of 
them  must  be  postponed  till  the  completion 
of  his  new  batch,  from  which  he  confidently 
reckoned  to  reap  nearly  four  hundred  livres. 

Tiie  six  months  passed  slowly  by,  and  were 
followed  by  some  two  or  three  more  ;  during 
which  Palissy  wrought  alone,  at  building  an 
improved  furnace,  and  preparing  fresh  chemi- 
cals for  the  enamel.  Of  this  latter  business, 
he  says,  "  It  was  a  labor  so  great  as  threat- 
ened to  baffle  all  my  wits,  had  not  the  desire 
I  felt  to  succeed  in  my  enterprise  made  me 
do  things  which  I  should  have  esteemed 
impossible."  Some  idea  of  the  difficulties 
he  encountered  may  be  obtained  when  we 
learn  that,  after  having  wearied  himself  sev- 
eral days  in  pounding  and  calcining  his  drugs, 
he  had  to  grind  them  in  a  hand-mill,  which 
it  usually  required  two  strong  men  to  turn, 
and  all  this  while  his  hand  was  bruised  and 
cut  in  many  places  with  the  labor  of  the 
furnace. 


PALISSY   THE   HUGUENOT   POTTER.  75 


Those  were  eventful  months  during  which 
Palissy  thus  toiled  in  the  depths  of  poverty 
and  neglect.  The  fiery  blaze  that  consumed 
the  good  brother  of  Gimosac  had  awakened 
alarm  in  the  hearts  of  not  a  few  who  in- 
habited the  ancient  town  of  Saintes,  and 
other  and  more  fearful  sights  and  sounds 
were  swift  to  follow.  But  these  must  be 
reserved  for  another  chapter. 


CHAPTER    V. 

"Ho,  every  one  that  thirsteth,  come  ye  to  the  Tratera,  ftnd 
he  that  hath  no  money." — Isa.  Iv.  1. 

In  the  year  1547,  Henry  U.  ascended  the 
throne  of  France.  With  the  intrigues  of  the 
court  it  is  not  our  province  to  intermeddle ; 
but  from  the  fierce  contests  waged  during 
that  stormy  period,  our  story  cannot  be  dis- 
severed. There  were  four  principal  factions, 
each  pledged  to  the  interests  of  a  distinct 
chief,  of  whom  the  most  influential  were  the 
celebrated  constable,  Anne  de  Montmorency, 
and  his  great  rivals  of  the  house  of  Guise. 
The  constable  was  a  personage  of  supreme 
importance,  possessing  enormous  wealth,  and 
raised  to  the  pinnacle  of  power.  As  he  be- 
came, in  course  of  time,  one  of  the  chief 
patrons  of  that  skill  which  Palissy  was  ac- 
quiring at  the   cost   of   so    much    toil  and 


PALISSY   THE   HUGUENOT   POTTEB.  77 


iuffering,  a  slight  sketch  of  this  famous  man, 
who  stands  out  as  one  of  the  giants  of  the 
ancient  monarchy,  will  not  be  misplaced  here. 

In  early  life  he  had  gained  a  powerful  in- 
fluence over  the  mind  of  Francis  I.,  which 
he  long  retained,  and  on  the  death  of  that 
monarch  he  stood  high  in  favor  with  his 
successor,  Henry  II.  Faithful  to  the  interests 
of  the  throne  and  of  his  country,  valiant  in 
arms,  possessed  of  intrepid  courage,  and 
resolute  in  the  maintenance  of  what  he  be- 
lieved right,  he  was,  nevertheless,  full  oi 
terrible  blemishes  and  errors.  He  was  an 
austere  man,  hard  and  rugged,  rough  and 
ungracious  in  manner,  stern  in  his  resolves, 
and  fearful  in  the  severity  of  the  punishments 
he  inflicted. 

One  of  the  first  acts  of  the  new  king  was 
to  issue  an  edict  confirmatory  of  religious 
penalties.  A  blasphemer  was  to  have  his 
tongue  pierced  with  a  hot  iron,  but  all  here- 
tics were  to  be  burned  alive.  The  spirit  of 
thin    sanguinary    enactment   wa^   completely 


78  PALISSY   THE    HUGUENOT    POTTER. 


in  harmony  with  the  fierce  bigotry  which 
formed  one  of  the  distinguishing  traits  of 
Montmorency's  character.  So  great  was  his 
zeal  against  the  heretics  that  he  received  on 
one  occasion  the  soubriquet  of  "  Captain e 
brule  bancs,"  because  he  made  bonfires  of 
the  pulpits  and  benches  taken  from  the 
churches  of  the  Calvinists.  Such  was  the 
man  who  now  undertook  the  supprcpsion  of 
a  revolt  which  broke  out  among  the  inhabi- 
tants of  Saintonge  and  the  surrounding  dis- 
tricts. The  occasion  of  this  disturbance  was 
the  oppressive  character  of  the  new  salt  tax, 
which  heavily  burdened  the  poor  country- 
people,  who  were  consequently  the  first  to 
take  up  arms  and  drive  out  the  officers  of 
the  gabelle.  In  a  short  time  the  excitement 
spread.  Pillage,  fire,  and  massacre  abounded, 
and  the  insurrection  extended  to  Bordeaux, 
which  became  the  head  quarters  of  the  dis- 
afiected.  Montmorency  marched  in  person 
against  the  inhabitants  of  the  disturbed  dis- 
tricts, and  wherever  he  went  he  erected 
gibbets,  and  inflicted  horrible  punishments. 


PALISSY   THE    HUGUENOT    POTTER.  79 


The  inhabitants  of  Saintes  had  now  some- 
thing to  divert  their  thoughts  from  the  doings 
of  Palissy.  They  trembled  as  they  heard  of 
the  tremendous  scenes  enacted  at  Bordeaux 
where  the  stern  marshal,  disdaining  to  ac- 
cept the  keys  of  the  town,  marched  hi* 
troops  into  it  as  a  triumphant  enemy,  and 
presently  put  to  death  one  hundred  citizens 
in  its  great  square ;  at  the  same  time  com- 
pelling the  magnates  of  the  town  to  dig  up 
with  their  nails  the  body  of  the  royal 
governor,  who  had  been  slain  in  one  of 
the  recent  tumults.  Having  inflicted  this 
summary  vengeance  at  Bordeaux,  Montmo- 
rency advanced  through  Saintonge,  resting 
on  his  route,  at  Pons,  a  town  not  far  from 
Saintes,  where  resided  the  king's  lieutenant 
for  that  department,  who  was  also  the  Count 
of  Marennes,  the  famous  salt  district.  This 
nobleman.  Sire  Antoino  de  Pons,  and  his 
lady,  Anne  de  Parthenay,  were  among  the 
earliest  and  staunchest  friends  and  patrons 
of  Palissy.     It  was  at  their  chateau  he  saw 


^0  PALISSY   THE    HUGtTENOT    POTTER. 


the  cup  of  "  marvellous  l-eauty,"  which  had 
acted  as  a  talisman  to  elicit  his  genius  ;  and 
from  them  he  had  frequently  received  com- 
missions for  various  works  of  art.  The 
''  Dame  Pons "  was,  especially,  a  lover 
of  gardens,  and  dehghted  in  floriculture. 
Scarcely  could  she  have  found  another  so 
admirably  suited  to  give  her  assistance  in 
her  favorite  pursuit  as  Palissy,  whose  con- 
geniality of  taste  in  this  matter  caused  him 
in  after  days  to  say,  "  I  have  found  in  the 
world  no  greater  pleasure  than  to  have  a 
beautiful  garden." 

It  chanced,  at  the  time  when  Montmorency 
came  to  Pons,  that  Bernard  was  engaged  at 
the  chateau  of  the  Sire  Antoine,  in  designing 
some  panels  and  decorations,  as  well  as  in 
laying  out  the  pleasure  grounds.  He  had 
suffered  another  disappointment  in  his  darling 
object,  even  more  overwhelming  than  all 
previous  ones,  and  had  been  again  driven 
to  a  temporary  renunciation  of  its  pursuit. 
The  narrative  of  his  toils  and    struggles  had 


A  Palissy  Dish. 


PALISSY    THE    HUGUENOT    POTTER.  81 


been  drawn  from  him  by  the  gentle-hearted 
lady,  who,  as  she  marked  with  discerning 
eye  the  exquisite  skill  and  taste  of  Pahssy, 
became  interested  to  learn  somewhat  of  his 
history.  He  told  her,  in  his  own  strong 
and  simple  language,  all  that  had  befallen 
him  from  the  day  when  her  lord  had  shown 
him  the  Italian  cup,  Alas  !  his  latest  trial, 
like  all  the  others,  had  proved  a  failure,  and 
(as  he  declared)  "  his  sorrows  and  distresse? 
had  been  so  abundantly  augmented,"  that  he 
lost  all  countenance. 

"  And  yet,"  said  the  lady  Anne,  as  she 
listened  to  his  tale,  "  you  assure  me,  that 
on  this  last  occasion  you  had  been  right  in 
every  one  of  your  calculations,  and  that  the 
enamel  was  so  correctly  mixed,  and  the  fur 
nace  so  well  ordered,  that  one  single  day 
was  sufficient  for  the  melting.  How,  then, 
did  you  fail  ?  " 

"  From    this    unforeseen    accident,"     said 
Palissy;  "the  mortar  of  which  I  had  erected 
the    furnace    had  been    full    of  flints,    which 
6 


82  PALISSY   THE    HUGUENOT    POTTER. 


burst  with  the  vehement  heat,  at  the  same 
time  tliat  the  enamels  began  to  hquify  ;  and 
the  splinters,  striking  against  the  pottery, 
which  was  covered  with  the  glutinous  matter, 
became  fixed  there.  Thus,  all  the  vessels, 
which  otherwise  would  have  been  beautiful, 
were  bestrewn  with  little  morsels  of  flint,  so 
firmly  attached  to  them  that  they  could  not 
possibly  be  removed.  The  distress  and  em- 
barrassment I  felt  from  this  new  and  unfore- 
seen disaster,  exceeded  all  I  had  before  ex- 
perienced. The  more  so,  that  several  of  my 
creditors,  whom  I  had  held  in  hope  to  be  paid 
out  of  the  produce  of  these  pieces,  had  hast- 
ened to  be  present  at  the  drawing  of  my  work, 
and  now  seeing  themselves  disappointed  ot 
their  long- delayed  expectations,  departed 
in  blank  dismay,  finding  their  hopes  frus- 
trated." '•'  Were  there  none  of  your  pieces 
that  had  escaped  injury?"  "  None,  madame; 
it  is  true,  though  they  were  all  more  or  less 
blemished,  they  would  hold  water,  and  there 
were   some  who  would  have  bought  them  o'. 


PALISSY  THE    HUGUENOT    POTTER.  83 


me  at  a  mean  price,  but  because  that  would 
have   been   a   decrying   and   abasing   of  my 
honor,  I   broke   in   pieces   the   entire   batch 
from  the  said  furnace,  and  lay  down  in  melan- 
choly—  not   without    cause,   for   I   had    no 
longer  any  means  to  feed  my  family.     After 
a  while,  however,   reflecting   that  if  a  man 
should  fall  into  a  pit,  it  would  be  his  duty  to 
endeavor  to  get  out  again,  I,  Palissy,  being 
in   like    case,   resolved   to    exert    myself  in 
making  paintings,  and  in  various  ways  taking 
pains  to  recover  a  little  money."     "  A  wise 
resolve,"   replied     the    lady ;    "  and    one    in 
which  it  Avill  be  in  my  power  to  assist  you. 
But  hark  !  there  sounds  a  horn,  which  I  know 
to  be  that  of  my  lord,  and  it  announces  his 
approach,  accompanied  by  Monseigneur,  the 
duke  de  Montmorency.     An  idea  strikes  me  ; 
his  highness  has  great  taste  for  ornamental 
art ;  his  patronage  would  secure  the  fortune 
of  one  who  possesses  your  skill  in  designing. 
Bring  hither,  to-morrow,  your  paintings  and 
sketches  of  animals,  foliage,  and  groups,  not 


84  PALISSY   THE    HUGUENOT    POTTER. 


forgetting  the  designs  of  your  vases,  and  1 
will  take  occasion  to  present  them  to  the 
notice  of  Monseigneur." 

The  lady  was  as  good  as  her  word ;  and, 
as  she  had  forseeen,  Montmorency  was  struck 
with  the  marks  of  genius  perceptible  even 
in  these  early  and  imperfect  productions  of 
the  great  artist,  and  he  immediately  decided 
to  afford  Palissy  an  opportunity  of  exercis- 
ing his  talents  in  his  service. 

In  this  manner  did  the  great  constable 
first  become  acquainted  with  Palissy.  A 
few  years  later  he  was  intrusted  with  im- 
portant charges  in  the  decoration  of  the 
celebrated  chateau  d'Ecouen,  one  of  the 
most  famous  architectural  works  of  France 
in  that  day. 

The  building  of  this  chateau,  distant  about 
four  leagues  from  Paris,  had  been  one  of  the 
principal  amusements  of  the  wealthy  mar- 
shal, during  his  seasons  of  forced  leisure, 
when  the  sunshine  of  royal  favor  had  de- 
serted him.     The  architect   employed  upon 


PALISSI    THE    HUGUENOT    POTTER.  85 


it  was  Jean  Bullant,  who  afterwards  enjoyed 
the  patronage  of  Catherine  de'  Medici,  and 
assisted  in  the  building  of  the  Tuileries.  Of 
the  work  contributed  by  PaKssy  towards 
the  decoration  of  the  chateau,  nothing  re- 
mains in  the  present  day  but  the  beautiful 
pavement  in  the  chapel  and  galleries.  Mucli 
time  was  employed  by  him  in  the  painting 
and  enamelling  of  the  decorated  tiles  which 
compose  this  pavement.  The  designs  were 
all  his  own,  of  subjects  taken  by  him  from 
the  Scriptures,  very  highly  finished,  and  so 
admirably  arranged  and  contrived  as  to  give 
to  the  whole  a  surprisingly  rich  effect  of 
beautiful  coloring,  surpassing,  it  is  said,  that 
of  the  finest  Turkey  carpeting, 

In  one  part  of  the  sacristy,  the  passion  of 
our  Lord  was  represented  upon  pottery,  in 
sixteen  pictures,  in  a  single  frame,  copied 
from  the  designs  of  Albert  Durer,  by  the 
hand  of  Pahssy.  Of  this  piece,  and  of  ano- 
ther painted  by  him  on  glass,  representing 
the  history  of  Psyche,   after  the  designs  of 


86  PALISST   THE    HUGUENOT    POTTER. 


Raffaelle,  there  remain  only  representations 
upon  paper.*  Of  all  the  windows  of  Ecouen, 
Palissy  is  also  said  to  have  been  the  painter ; 
Qor  mus'^  we  omit  to  mention  that  in  a  grove 
of  the  garden  there  was  formerly  a  fountain, 
called  ^^  Fontaine  Iladame,"  to  which  was 
attached  a  rustic  grotto,  of  which  Palissy 
always  spoke  with  pride,  as  one  of  the  chief 
triumphs  of  his  handiwork.  His  skill  and 
ingenuity  were  exerted  in  the  adornment  of 
the  grotto  ;  and  the  rock  from  whence  the 
cascade  fell  was  a  grand  specimen  of  his 
painted  pottery.  Figures  of  frogs  and  fishes 
were  placed  in  and  about  the  water,  lizards 
were  upon  the  rock,  and  serpents  were  coiled 
upon  the  grass.  And,  that  devout  thoughts 
might  be  awakened  in  the  breasts  of  those 
who  came  to  enjoy  the  sweets  of  this  pleas- 
ant retreat,  its  pious  artificer  had  contrived 
that,  on  a  rustic  frieze,  should  be  inscribed 
in   a    mosaic,   formed   with    various   colored 

•They    occupy  forty-five   plates    in    volume   vi.    ef  the 
"Musee  des  Monuments  Frangais." 


PALISSY  THE    HUGUENOT    POTTER.  87 


itones,  the  text  we  have  chosen  as  the  motto 
of  this  chapter. 

"  Ho,  KVKBT  05K  THAT  THIBSTETH,  COME  TE  TO   THE  WATEES, " 

Probably  the  formation  of  the  fountain, 
and  the  arrangements  made  for  its  supply, 
were  suggested  by  Palissy,  whose  acute  ob- 
servation in  the  study  of  Nature  had,  by 
that  time,  led  him  to  the  discovery  of  the 
true  theory  of  springs.  "  I  have  had  no 
other  book  than  heaven  and  earth,  which 
are  open  to  all,"  he  was  wont  to  say,  and 
upon  all  subjects  connected  with  the  study 
of  that  marvellous  volume,  Palissy  was  as- 
suredly far  in  advance  of  the  men  of  his 
time.  He  delighted  in  grottos  and  foun- 
tains of  waters,  and  his  inquiry  into  the 
sources  of  natural  fountains  conducted  him 
to  the  true  solution  of  an  enigma  which 
baffled  all  the  skill  of  Descartes. 

We  are,  however,  antedating  the  course 
of  this  narrative.  At  the  time  of  Palissy's 
introduction  to  the  constable,  he  was  about 


88  PALISSY   THE    HUGUENOT     POTTER. 


forty  years  old,  and  bis  labor  to  discover 
tbe  enamel  ware  bad  been  spread  over  a 
period  of  some  eigbt  years.  It  cost  him 
eigbt  years  more,  during  wbich  he  endured 
great  toil  and  numerous  mishaps,  before  he 
attained  full  perfection  in  the  moulding  and 
enamelling  of  ornamental  pottery.  But  from 
this  time  he  did  not  lack  patronage,  and 
business  w^as  alwavs  to  be  obtained  sufficient 
for  the  supply  of  household  necessities.  We 
shall  presently  have  occasion  to  return  with 
him  again  to  the  detail  of  his  trials  and 
struggles,  and  to  hear  of  privation  and  dis- 
tress yet  to  be  endured  in  the  prosecution 
of  the  object  of  his  ambition.  But  first  we 
are  about  to  see  him  in  a  new  aspect,  and 
it  will  be  necessary  to  interrupt  the  story 
of  his  toil  in  the  pursuit  of  art,  while  we 
dwell  upon  some  other  facts  in  his  history, 
by  which  his  mind  was  exercised,  and  his 
character^  as  a  man  and  a  Christian,  formed 
and  illustrated, 


fart  SuonK 


CHAPTER    I. 

**  The  Lord  gave,  and  the  Lord  hath  taken  away ;  blessed 
be  the  name  of  the  Lord."  —  Job  i.  21. 

Some  six  or  seven  years  have  passed  away 
since  we  last  saw  Palissy;  and  it  is  now  the 
month  of  February,  1557 

The  ^hort  day  is  just  drawing  to  a  close, 
and  our  old  friend,  who  is  sitting  with  a  book 
open  before  him,  has  given  over  the  effort 
to  continue  reading,  and  is  pensively  rest- 
ing, with  his  hand  supporting  his  head,  which 
now  begins  to  show  a  few  silvery  threads 
among  the  long  dark  brown  hair  that  over- 
shadows the  brow.  His  lips  are  moving,  and 
he  utters  the  words  he  has  just  perused  on 

the  page  of  that  holy  book   with  which  he 

99 


90  PALISSY   THE    HUGUENOT    POTTER. 


has  formed  so  close  and  reverent  an  acquaint- 
ance. "  Whom  the  Lord  loveth  he  chasten- 
eth."  "  Even  so,  Father ;  for  so  it  seemed 
good  in  thy  sight."  And  he  sighed  deeply, 
and  rising,  went  slowly  toward  a  corner  of 
the  chamber,  where  was  placed  a  baby's  cot. 
Bending  down,  he  raised  the  covering  that 
shrouded  the  infant  form  which  rested  there. 
It  was  that  of  a  girl  some  few  months  old, 
who  looked  so  like  a  marble  statue,  that,  at 
first  sight,  you  would  have  said,  "  It  is  the 
work  of  the  sculptor."  But  no  ;  the  eyes 
were  slightly  open,  and  the  lashes  drooped 
over  the  violet  orbs,  that  even  in  death 
seemed  beautiful. 

The  father  stooped  to  kiss  the  fair  delicate 
face,  and  then  kneeled  down  beside  the  cot, 
to  read  more  closely  the  innocent  features 
by  the  fading  twilight  that  still  lingered. 

He  had  remained  several  minutes  thus  ab- 
sorbed in  thought,  and  prayerfully  abstracted 
in  spirit,  when  suddenly  a  low  and  peculiar 
noise  was  heard   close   to   the  window.     Jt 


PALISSY   THE    HUGUENOT    POTTER.  91 


roused  him  from  his  reverie,  and  he  quickly 
lifted  his  eyes.  Again  the  sound  met  his 
ear,  and  immediately  he  rose,  and  going  to 
the  door,  looked  abroad,  and  uttered  a  sig- 
nal cry,  responsive  to  the  one  he  had  heard. 
"  It  is  Hamelin  !"  he  exclaimed,  and  the  next 
instant  his  friend  stood  beside  him.  Most 
heartily  did  Palissy  receive  his  unexpected 
visitor,  and  bade  him  welcome  to  his  lowly 
roof,  where  he  might  be  in  safety,  seeing 
its  owner  was  then  under  the  patronage  of 
Sire  Antoine,  who  had  commanded  that  the 
premises  of  the  potter  should  be  held  invio- 
late from  all  intrusion. 

After  discharging  the  duties  of  hospitality, 
and  seeing  the  wants  of  his  guest  supplied, 
Bernard  seated  himself  beside  Hamelin,  and 
the  two  fell  into  long  and  earnest  discourse. 

They  spoke,  as  was  natural,  first  of  the 
domestic  circumstances  of  Pa^lissy,  and  of 
the  bereavement  that  now  weighed  heavily 
upon  him.  It  was  the  sixth  of  his  children 
from  whom  he   had  been  called    to    part   in 


92  PALISSY   THE    HUGUENOT    POTTER. 


their  tender  age,  and  hia  spirit  was  cast 
down  within  him.  Hamelin,  who  had  a  soul 
full  of  tender  sensibilities,  felt  his  eyes  fill 
with  tears  as  he  listened  to  the  sorrows  of 
his  friend,  and  lovingly  sought  to  comfort 
him. 

After  a  time  he  inquired  for  the  two  boys, 
Nicole  and  Mathurin,  who  were  the  sole  sur- 
vivors of  so  numerous  a  family.  "  They  are 
grown  tall  and  hearty,  and  will  soon  take 
their  part  in  the  workshop,"  said  Palissy. 
'  The  younger  is  a  sharp  wit.  Certain  monks 
of  the  Sorbonne  were  sent,  last  summer,  into 
this  town  and  many  others  of  the  diocese,  to 
win  over  the  people  to  allow  their  woods  to 
be  cut  down  for  the  king's  pleasure.  They 
made  strange  gestures  and  grimaces,  and  all 
their  discourses  were  nothing  but  outcry 
against  the  new  Christians.  It  chanced  that 
one  of  them,  as  he  was  preaching,  taught 
how  it  behoved  men  to  purchase  heaven  by 
their  good  works :  but  Mathurin,  who  stood 
there  listening,  exclaimed,    *  That's  blasphe 


PALIS8Y  THE    HUGUENOT    POTTER.  93 


my  !  for  the  Bible  tells  us  that  Christ  pur- 
chased heaven  by  his  sufferings  and  death, 
and  bestows  it  on  us  freely  by  his  mercy.' 
He  spoke  so  loud  that  many  heard,  and  some 
disturbance  ensued.  Happily,  Victor  was 
near  by,  and  he  sheltered  the  lad,  who  might 
otherwise  have  paid  dearly  for  his  unadvised 
utterance."  ''  In  good  truth/'  said  Master 
Philibert,  "  it  was  a  perilous  deed,  and  these 
are  fearful  times.  When  a  child  of  fifteen 
is  not  deemed  too  young  for  the  stake,  when 
young  maidens  have  been  stabbed  for  their 
singing,  and  fellow-tradesmen  broken  on  the 
wheel  for  exercising  liberty  of  conscience, 
then  it  is  no  marvel  if  our  children,  being 
taught  the  truths  of  God's  word,  should  ex- 
change their  youthfulness  of  manner  for 
a  manly  fortitude,  and  should  be  ready 
sternly  to  sing  their  hymns  in  the  free  air 
of  heaven." 

The  conversation  now  turned  upon  Gen- 
eva, from  whence  Hamelin  had  recently 
come.     He  was  one    of   those   agents   who, 


94  PALISSY  THE    HUGUENOT    POTTER. 


at  the  instigation  of  Calvin,  travelled  through 
the  length  and  breadth  of  France,  spread- 
ing the  Eeformed  tenets,  sometimes  reading 
the  Scriptures  and  pious  books  —  sometimes 
preaching  the  word  and  exhorting,  and  above 
all,  providing  for  the  establishment  of  a  gos- 
pel ministry ;  everywhere  taking  occasion  to 
search  out  pastors  to  undertake  the  charge 
of  those  small  and  despised  flocks  that  were 
scattered  about  in  the  hamlets  and  towns. 

The  marvellous  energy  of  the  great  re- 
former was  unceasingly  at  work  in  various 
ways.  He  encouraged  many  French  refugees 
to  become  booksellers  or  printers ;  he  formed 
numerous  schools  for  the  training  of  his 
disciples ;  and  Geneva,  under  his  auspices, 
became  the  metropolis  of  the  reformed  re- 
ligion ;  the  centre  of  a  vast  propagandist 
system,  and  one  of  the  most  famous  schools 
of  learning  and  theology.  It  is  almost  im- 
possible to  conceive  how  he  could  support 
the  immense  labors  of  his  latter  years.  He 
preached  almost  every  day ;  gave  three  theo- 


PALISSY   THE    HUGUENOT    POTTER.  95 


logical  lessons  in  the  week;  assisted  at  all 
the  consistorial  deliberations,  and  all  the 
assemblies  of  the  clergy,  and  was  the  soul 
of  their  counsels.  He  carried  on,  besides,  an 
immense  correspondence  throughout  Europe, 
and  published,  every  year,  some  work  on 
theology  or  controversy.  With  all  these 
labors,  and  many  others,  he  was,  nevertheless, 
of  a  feeble  constitution,  and  all  his  life  long 
suffered  under  various  maladies.  Hamelin 
gave  the  following  graphic  description  of 
his  personal  appearance  at  this  period  : — "  He 
resembles  an  old  hermit,  emaciated  by  long 
vigils  and  fasting ;  his  cheeks  are  sunken,  his 
forehead  furrowed,  his  face  colorless  as  that 
of  a  corpse,  but  his  brilliant  eyes  glow  with 
an  unearthly  fire.  His  figure  is  slightl}'- 
bowed,  the  bones  seem  bursting  through 
the  skin,  but  his  step  is  steady,  and  his  tread 
firm." 

The  two  friends  spoke  next  upon  a  subject 
of  deep  interest  to  both.  By  the  advice,  and 
at  the  instigation  of  Hamelin,   Bernard  luad, 


86  PALISSY  THE    HUGUENOT    POTTER. 


for  a  considerable  time,  been  in  the  habit  of 
gathering  together  a  small  company  of  poor 
people   on  Sabbath  days,  to  read  the  Scrip- 
tures and  to  make  exhortations  weekly.     At 
first  their  number  did  not  exceed  nine  or  ten, 
and   they  were   indigent   and   illiterate   men, 
nevertheless   they  had   the   matter   at   heart, 
and  from  this  small  beginning  was  established 
a   church  which,   in   a   few  years,  grew  and 
flourished.      Very    simple   and    touching    ia 
Palissy's  account  of  the  manner  in  which  he, 
"  moved  with  an   earnest  desire  for  the  ad- 
vancement of  the  gospel,"  daily  searched  the 
Scriptures   with  Victor ;   and  how  at  length 
they  two,  taking  counsel  together,  one  Sunday 
morning  assembled  a  few  neighbors,  to  whom 
Bernard   read   "  certain    passages   and   texts 
which   he    had    put   down    in   writing,   and 
offered    for   their   consideration."     First,    he 
showed  them  how  each    man,  according   to 
the   gifts  he  had  received,  should  distribute 
them   to    others,  and  that  every  tree  which 
here  not  fruit,  must  be  cut  down   and  cast 


PALlSSt   THE    HUGUENOT    fOTTER.  97 


into  the  fire.  He  also  propounded  to  them 
the  Parable  of  the  Talents^  aiKi  a  great  number 
of  such  texts ;  and  afterwards  exhorted  them, 
to  the  effect  that  it  was  the  duty  of  all  people 
to  speak  of  the  statutes  and  ordinances  of 
God,  and  that  his  doctrine  must  not  be 
despised  on  account  of  his  own  abject  estate, 
seeing  that  God  little  esteems  those  things 
which  men  account  great.  For,  while  he 
gives  wisdom,  birth,  or  worldly  greatness,  to 
such  as  shall  never  see  his  face,  he  calls  to 
the  inheritance  of  glory  poor  despised  crea- 
tures, who  are  looked  upon  as  the  offscouring 
and  refuse  of  the  world.  These,  he  raises 
from  the  dunghill,  setting  them  with  princes, 
and  making  them  his  sons  and  daughters. 
"  Oh,  the  wonder ! "  He  then  begged  his 
auditors  to  follow  his  example,  and  do  as 
he  had  been  doing ;  which  he  so  successfully 
urged,  that  they  resolved  that  same  hour, 
that  six  of  their  number  should  make  exhor- 
tations weekly ;  that  is  to  say,  each  of  them 
once  in  six  weeks,  on  the  Sunday.  And  it 
7 


98  PALISSY   THE    HUGUENOT    POTTER. 


was  agreed  that  "  since  they  undertook  a 
business  in  which  they  had  never  been  in 
structed,  they  should  put  down  in  writing 
what  they  had  to  say  and  read  before  the 
assembly."  "  That  was,"  said  Palissy,  "  the 
beginning  of  the  Reformed  Church  of  Saintes/' 
Six  poor  and  unlearned  men  were  all  who 
had  the  boldness,  with  resolute  hearts,  to 
form  themselves  into  a  worshipping  assembly 
of  Protestant  Christians  in  that  town,  which  had 
so  recently  beheld  the  burning  of  a  heretic. 

We  seek  in  the  chronicles  of  earthly  glory 
for  the  names  of  our  famous  heroes,  patriots, 
and  statesmen.  The  only  annals  in  which 
the  name  of  our  potter  is  recorded  are  those 
of  the  despised  Huguenot  church  of  Saintes. 
In  a  contemporary  list  of  preachers  we  find 
mentioned  Bernard  Palissy. 

We  have  no  other  record  of  the  manner  in 
which  his  ministrations  were  carried  on,  than 
those  few  sentences  just  given  ;  but  we  know 
that  the  doctrine  of  the  Reformed  Church  of 
France  was  identical  with  that  of  Luther. 
The  motto  of  that  school  was,  "  The  word  of 


PALiSSY   THE   HUGUENOT   POTTER.  99 


God  is  sufficient."  "  To  know  Christ  and  his 
word,  this  is  the  only  living,  universal 
theology ;  he  who  knows  this  knows  all," 
said  the  two  men  who  first  proclaimed  the 
gospel  in  Paris.  The  doctrine  of  justification 
by  faith  overturned  at  one  sweep  the  subtle- 
ties of  the  schoolmen,  and  the  practices  of 
Popery.  "  It  is  God  alone,"  said  Lefevre, 
within  the  walls  of  the  Sorbonne,  "  who  by 
his  grace,  through  faith,  justifies  unto  ever- 
lasting life.  There  is  a  righteousness  of 
works ;  there  is  a  righteousness  of  grace  ; 
the  one  cometh  from  man,  the  other  from 
God ;  one  is  earthly,  and  passeth  away,  the 
other  is  heavenly  and  eternal ;  one  is  the 
shadow  and  the  sign,  the  other  the  light  and 
the  truth ;  one  makes  sin  known  to  us  that 
we  may  escape  death ;  the  other  reveals 
grace  that  wo  may  obtain  life."  "  We  are 
saved  by  grace,  through  faith,  and  that  not 
of  ourselves ;  it  is  the  gift  of  God."  This 
was  the  great  cardinal  truth  which  Palissy 
taught,  and  which  his  hearers  received  in  the 
love  of  it. 


CHAPTER    II. 

"  He  had  respect  unto  the  recompense  of  the  reward." 

Heb.  xi.  26. 

The  morrow  after  Hamelin's  unexpected 
visit  to  his  friend  was  Sunday,  and  he  gladly 
embraced  the  opportunity,  so  soon  as  the 
shadows  of  night  had  spread  their  friendly 
veil,  to  slip  through  the  streets,  and  repair 
to  the  place  of  meeting,  where  he  exhorted 
and  prayed  with  the  little  congregation, 
bidding  them  be  of  good  cheer,  and  en- 
couraging them  with  the  hope,  that  before 
long,  they  should  have  a  minister  to  take 
the  charge  of  them.  The  next  day  he  de- 
parted for  Allevert,  where,  being  kindly 
received  by  many  of  the  people,  he  remained 
some  time,  calling  them  together  by  the 
sound  of  a  bell,  to  listen  to  his  exhortations, 

100 


PALISSY    THE    HUGUENOT    POTTEK.  101 


and  also  baptizing  a  child.  Tidings  of  these 
proceedings  were  not  long  in  reaching 
Saintes,  and  a  great  stir  was  immediately 
raised  by  divers  officials  of  the  town,  who 
instigated  the  bishop  at  that  time  in  resi- 
dence, to  authorize  proceedings  against 
flamelin. 

So  slenderly  provided  was  the  poor  Hugue- 
not, that  he  had  taken  with  him  no  other 
outfit  than  a  simple  staif  in  his  hand  ;  neither 
purse  nor  scrip  had  he,  nor  carried  any 
weapon  of  defence.  Alone,  and  without  fear, 
he  went  his  way,  solely  intent  on  the  errand 
he  was  about.  His  friend,  who  evidently 
regarded  him  with  the  utmost  love  and  rever- 
ence, after  describing  his  defenceless  condi- 
tion, his  poverty,  and  his  trustful  spirit, 
humorously  contrasts  with  all  this  the  ex- 
travagant and  absurd  measures  adopted  by 
his  enemies,  who  "  constrained  the  bishop  to 
produce  money  for  the  maintenance  of  a 
pursuit  of  the  said  Philibert,  with  horses, 
gendarmes,    cooks,   and    cutlers."      With   a/1 


102  PALISSY    THE    HUGUENOT    POTTER.      ^ 


this  fuss  and  adc,  they  speedily  transferred 
themselves  to  the  islands  of  Allevert,  where 
they  re-baptized  the  child —  thus,  as  far  as 
was  in  their  power,  repairing  the  mischief 
done  by  the  heretic,  whom,  though  they 
failed  to  catch  him  in  that  place,  they  shortly 
discovered  in  the  mansion  of  one  of  the 
neighboring  gentry ;  and,  laying  forcible 
hands  on  him,  they  carried  him  off  as  a 
malefactor,  to  the  criminals'  prisons  in  Saintes, 
where  they  lodged  him  in  safe  custody. 

Sore  was  the  grief  of  Palissy  when  he 
learned  that  the  friend  whom  he  esteemed 
above  all  othei's,  had  thus  been  captured  by 
wicked  men  ;  and  well  he  knew  that  they  had 
Doth  power  and  will  to  destroy  Hamelin.  In- 
dignation struggled  in  his  breast  with  sor- 
row ;  and,  as  he  reflected  on  the  blameless 
conversation,  pure  charity,  and  simple-hearted- 
ness of  the  man,  he  exclaimed,  "  I  am  full  of 
wonder  that  men  should  have  dared  to  sit  in 
judgment  of  death  over  him,  when  they  had 
heard,  and  well  knew,  that  his  life  was  holy." 


PALISSY   THK    HUGUENOT    POTTER.  103 


Not  content  with  passively  bewailing  bis 
friend's  calamity,  he  tells  that  he  mustered 
hardihood,  notwithstanding  that  these  were 
perilous  days,  ''to  go  and  remonstrate  with 
six  of  the  principal  judges  and  magistrates  of 
the  town,  that  they  had  imprisoned  a  prophet 
or  an  angel  of  the  Lord,"  assuring  them  that 
for  eleven  years  he  had  known  this  Philibert 
Hamelin  to  be  of  so  holy  a  hfe  that  it  seemed 
to  him  as  if  other  men  were  devils  compared 
with  him. 

Strong  and  impetuous  language,  prompted 
by  the  indignant  earnestness  of  a  loving  and 
faithful  heart,  which  set  at  nought  all  selfish 
considerations.  It  was,  indeed,  no  light  risk 
our  noble-hearted  Bernard  was  incurring. 
The  edict  of  Chateaubriand  had  recently  ap- 
peared, aggravating  all  former  penalties,  for- 
bidding all  assistance  to  those  who  were  of 
the  new  religion,  and  all  refuge  of  them  ; 
offering  rewards  to  such  as  should  denounce 
them,  and,  in  short,  rendering  the  laws 
against  heresy  so  stringent,  that  the  life  of 


104  PALISSY   THE     HUGUENOT     POTTER. 


any  one  known  to  be  a  heretic  depended 
wholly  on  the  sufferance  of  his  neighbors. 
In  the  face  of  such  a  danger,  Palissy  went  to 
the  very  men  who  were  officially  engaged 
to  punish  his  rashness,  and  boldly  remon- 
strating with  them,  proclaimed  the  innocence 
and  virtue  of  their  prisoner.  This  courageous 
and  honorable  conduct  was  fruitless.  The 
judges,  indeed,  showed  sufficient  humanity 
not  to  avail  themselves  of  his  boldness  as  a 
weapon  against  himself;  they  even  heard  him 
with  courtesy,  and  tried  to  excuse  themselves 
in  reference  to  Hamelin's  condemnation.  To 
use  Palissy's  words,  "  The  better  to  come 
by  a  wash  for  their  hands,  that  would  acquit 
their  hearts,  they  reasoned  that  he  had  been 
a  priest  in  the  Roman  church  ;  therefore  they 
sent  him  to  Bordeaux,  with  good  and  sure 
guard,  by  a  provost-marshal."  Thus  setting 
the  seal  to  his  doom  ;  for  Bordeaux  was  well 
known  to  be  the  waiting-chamber  to  the  scaf- 
fold. 

An  effort  was  made,  while  yet  Hamelin  re- 


PALISSY   THE    HUGUENOT    POTTER.  105 


mained  imprisoned  at  Saintes  to  procure  hia 
release,  which  deserves  to  be  mentioned  on 
more  than  one  account.  The  tidings  of  his 
captivity  had  spread  abroad,  among  the  neigh- 
boring districts,  and  reached  the  ears  of  a 
little  church  founded  by  him  in  a  somewhat 
remote  region.  These  poor  people,  with 
overflowing  hearts,  when  the  evil  tidings 
reached  them,  lost  no  time  in  considering 
how  they  might  best  help  to  procure  the 
release  of  one  whom  they  loved  and  honored 
as  their  spiritual  father.  The  result  of  their 
deliberations  was  apparent,  when,  the  day 
previous  to  his  removal  to  Bordeaux,  an 
advocate  came  secretly  to  the  prison-house 
in  which  Hamelin  lay,  and  offered  to  the  jail- 
keeper  the  sum  of  three  hundred  livres,  pro- 
vided he  would,  that  night,  put  the  captive 
outside  the  prison  door.  The  bribe  was 
tempting ;  and  the  frail  official  hesitated,  de- 
siring first,  hov^-ever,  to  take  counsel  of 
Master  Philibert  in  the  matter.  His  mag- 
nanimous reply  was  that  he  chose  rather  to 


L06  PALISSY    THE    HUGUKNOT    POTTER. 


perish  by  the  hands  of  the  executioner  than 
to  expose  another  man  to  peril,  for  the  pur- 
pose of  securing  his  own  safety.  On  hearing 
this,  the  advocate,  taking  back  his  money, 
returned  to  those  who  had  sent  him.  "  I  ask 
you,"  said  Palissy,  as  he  recounted  this 
worthy  conduct  of  his  friend,  "  which  is  he 
among  us  who  would  do  the  like,  being  at 
the  mercy  of  enemies,  as  he  was?" 

It  was  a  sad  meeting  of  the  infant  church 
when  they  assembled  on  the  Sabbath  after 
Bamelin's  death.  They  looked  each  other  in 
the  face,  and  sorrowfully  proceeded  to  the 
•jacred  exercises  of  the  hour.  After  the  ser- 
vice was  concluded,  Palissy  introduced  to 
them  a  minister,  named  De  La  Place,  who 
had  been  chosen  by  their  deceased  friend  to 
undertake  the  office  of  pastor  in  AUevert. 
The  events  which  had  since  befallen  rendered 
it,  however,  highly  dangerous  and  undesirable 
that  he  should  repair  thither  for  a  time  ;  and 
he  had  received  notice,  warning  him  to  ab- 
stain from  proceeding  on  his  journey. 


PALISSY   THE   HUGUENOT   POTTEE.  107 


In  compliance  with  this  intimation  ho  had 
stopped  short  at  Saintes,  where  he  remained 
in  safety  with  Bernard,  who  now  made  him 
known  to  the  brethren,  and  they  with  one 
accord  prayed  him  to  stay  among  them  and 
minister  the  word  of  God.  Thus  were  they, 
most  unexpectedly,  supplied  with  a  pastor. 

Before  the  assembly  broke  up,  Victor,  calm 
in  manner,  though  with  intense  feeling,  nar 
rated  to  them  some  touching  incidents  he 
had  learned  of  the  last  hours  of  their  mar- 
tyred friend.  He  had  not  been  alone;  a  com- 
panion in  tribulation  shared  his  sufferings  and 
death,  whom  Philibert  had  strengthened  in 
the  hour  of  trial  by  his  own  quiet  confidence 
and  joyful  anticipation  of  the  future  that 
awaited  them.  On  the  morning  fixed  for 
their  execution,  he  awoke  his  comrade,  who 
was  sleeping  in  the  same  cell,  and  pointing 
with  his  hand  to  the  splendid  sunrise  just 
v^isible  on  the  eastern  horizon,  he  exclaimed, 
''  Let  us  rejoice ;  for,  if  the  aspect  of  nature, 
and  the  return  of  daylight,  be   so  beautiful 


108  PALISSY    THE    HUGUENOT    POTTER. 


on  earth,  what  will  it  be  to-morrow,  when  we 
shall  behold  the  mansions  of  heaven  ?  " 

His  composure  and  piety  affected  even  the 
stern  jailer,  who  was  so  much  impressed  with 
what  he  saw  and  heard,  that  he  had  spoken 
of  it  to  one  who  secretly  sympathized  with 
the  martyrs,  and  related  everything  to  Victor. 
When  conveyed  to  the  gibbet,  Hamelin  re- 
mained self-possessed,  and  a  divine  peace  was 
visible  on  his  countenance.  He  was  asked 
once  more,  i£  he  would  renounce  his  errors, 
and  return  to  the  true  faith,  but,  unmoved, 
and  steadfast  in  hope,  he  sang  a  hymn,  making 
no  other  reply  to  the  importunities  of  those 
around  him  than  this,  "  I  die  for  the  name  of 
Jesus  Christ."  His  last  words  were,  "  Lord 
Jesus,  have  mercy  on  me." 

When  Victor  had  concluded  his  narrative, 
Palissy  said,  "  You  have  heard,  brethren,  the 
end  of  this  child  of  God,  to  whom  we  are 
indebted  in  no  small  degree  ;  for  if  there -be 
among  us  any  of  that  Christian  fellowship  in 
love   which  is  the  blessed  product  of  com- 


PALISSY   THE  HUGUENOT   POTTER.  109 


munion  with  the  members  of  the  body  of 
Christ,  we  must  assuredly  trace  it  to  his 
influence.  All  that  has  been  done  among 
us  is  the  result  of  the  good  example,  coun- 
sel, and  doctrine  of  this  brother,  beloved  in 
the  Lord.  And  think  you,"  he  continued — 
his  eye  kindling,  and  his  voice  tremulous 
with  emotion  —  "that  they  who  condemned 
the  just  will  be  excused  on  the  plea  of 
iguorance  ?  Assuredly  the  judges  of  this 
town  knew  well  that  his  life  was  holy ; 
nevertheless,  they  acted  through  fear,  lest 
they  should  lose  their  offices:  so  we  must 
understand  it.  And  thus  they  delivered 
him  up,  and  caused  him  to  be  hung  like  a 
thief  But,  will  not  God  avenge  his  elect? 
"Will  he  not  show  that  precious  in  his  sight 
is  the  death  of  these,  his  witnesses  ?  Truly, 
a  rich  harvest  has  always  sprung  up  from 
the  blood  of  the  martyrs,  and  the  ashes  of 
the  just,  scattered  to  the  four  winds  of  hea- 
ven, have  been  as  the  seed  of  the  kingdom." 
These    words  of  the  noble-hearted   potter 


110  PALISSY    THE   HUGUENOT   POTTER. 


recall  to  our  minds  what  Luther  had  spokeii; 
some  thirty  years  before  this  period,  when 
tidings  reached  him  of  the  persecution  and 
death  of  some  of  his  followers.  "At  length," 
he  exclaimed,  "  Christ  is  gathering  some  fruit 
from  our  labors,  and  is  creating  new  martyrs. 
Their  bonds  are  our  bonds ;  their  dungeons 
our  dungeons  ;  and  their  fires  our  fires.  We 
are  all  with  them,  and  the  Lord  himself  is  at 
our  head."  He  afterwards  celebrated  these 
first  victims  of  the  Reformation  in  a  noble 
hymn,  whose  strains  were  speedily  heard 
echoing  throughout  Germany,  and  every- 
where spreading  enthusiasm  for  the  cause  — 

"They  ride  the  air  —  they  will  not  down. 

The  ashes  of  the  just; 
Nor  graves  can  hide,  nor  waters  drown. 

That  spirit-pregnant  dust. 
Where'er  the  winds  that  seed  have  flung 

Soldiers  are  gendered; 
And  Satan  's  foiled,  and  Christ  is  sung 

By  voices  from  the  dead." 

The  early  years  of  the  little  Reformed 
chwrch  of  Saintes  were  very  troublesome 
ones.     It  was  established,  in  the  outset,  with 


PALISSY   THE   HUGUENOT   POTTEE.  Ill 


great  difficulties  and  imminent  perils,  and 
those  who  ventured  to  enroll  themselves 
among  its  number  were  blamed  and  vitupe- 
rated with  perverse  and  wicked  calumnies. 
The  ignorance  and  superstition  of  that  age 
and  country  were  called  into  active  exer- 
cise against  the  adherents  of  the  new  faith, 
and  the  vilest  slanders  were  fabricated  against 
them,  and  accredited  even  by  those  who  wit- 
nessed their  blameless  lives.  Most  frequently 
their  meetings  for  religious  worship  were 
held  during  the  hours  of  darkness,  for  fear 
of  their  enemies ;  and  occasion  was  taken 
from  this  circumstance  to  insinuate  that,  if 
their  doctrine  were  good,  they  would  preach 
it  openly.  They  were  even  accused  of  wick- 
edness and  unchaste  conduct  in  their  assem- 
blies ;  nor  were  there  wanting  some  "  of  the 
baser  sort "  who  said  that  the  heretics  had 
dealings  with  the  devil,  whose  tail  they  went 
to  kiss  by  the  light  of  a  rosin  candle.  Not- 
withstanding all  these  things,  however,  tho 
church  continued  to  exist,  and  to  grow ;  and 


112  PALISSY   THE    HUGUENOT   POTTEfi. 

after  a  time,  it  made  surprising  increase. 
The  timid  commencement,  the  rapid  advance, 
and,  finally,  the  successful  establishment  and 
prevalence  of  the  Reformed  tenets  in  Saintes. 
were  all  noted  by  Palissy,  with  loving  fidel- 
ity. He  scanned,  with  the  eye  of  a  Chris- 
tian and  a  philosopher,  the  dealings  of  God's 
Providence ;  and  watchfully  observed  tho 
various  ways  in  which  His  purposes  of  wis- 
dom and  mercy  were  brought  to  pass. 

It  is  remarked,  by  a  Roman  Catholic  his- 
torian of  the  day,  that  "  the  painters,  clock- 
makers,  modellers,  jewellers,  booksellers, 
printers,  and  others,  who,  although  in  hum- 
ble trades,  have  still  some  exercise  for 
thought,  were  the  first  to  adopt  these  new 
ideas."  What  a  pleasing  and  instructive 
fact,  proving,  as  it  does,  that  not  only  for 
the  rich  and  leisurely,  the  learned  and  stu- 
dious, are  reserved  those  best  and  choicest 
gifts  of  God  —  the  seeing  eye,  the  hearing 
ear,  and  the  heart  wise  to  discern  the  heav- 
enly wisdom  of  the  cross.     Nowhere   could 


PALISSY  THE   HUGUENOT   POTTEB.  113 


we  find  an  instance  more  strikingly  in  point 
than  that  aflforded  us  by  the  life  of  Palissy. 
While  he  labored  with  enthusiasm  and  de- 
voted earnestness  at  the  calling  of  his  choice, 
(and  of  his  necessity,)  his  most  precious, 
his  chosen  pursuit  was  not  his  art,  but  the 
knowledge  and  service  of  God  his  Saviour. 
He  obeyed  the  sacred  mandate,  "  Seek  ye 
first  the  kingdom  of  God  and  His  righteous- 
ness," and  girding  himself  to  the  conflict 
with  error,  his  soul  became  possessed  with 
a  holy  enthusiasm;  and  having  assumed  to 
himself  the  right  of  free  inquiry,  he  did  not 

scruple  to  make  bold  confession  of  his  faith. 
8 


CHAPTER   III. 

"  In  all  labor  there  is  profit."— Prov.  xiv.  23. 

Probably,  the  happiest  time  of  Pahasj  a 
life  is  that  at  which  we  are  now  arrived.  F^e 
may  be  accounted  to  have  reached  the  end 
of  his  great  period,gpf  struggle  as  a  potter. 
He  was  laboring  prosperously  in  his  voca- 
tion ;  he  was  yet  in  the  vigor  of  his  age, 
and  he  had,  above  all,  the  enjoyment  of  feel- 
ing that  he  had  solved  the  problem  and 
effected  the  object  for  which  he  had  en- 
dured a  long  struggle  with  privation  and 
contumely.  We  will  not  dwell  on  the  re- 
maining disappointments  he  had  been  doomed 
to  suffer  before  he  attained  this  point.  They 
were  numerous  and  painful  in  the  extreme. 
We  get  a  passing  glimpse  of  them  in  the  fol- 

114 


FALISSY  THE    HUGUENOT    POTTER.         115 


lowing  incident.  One  day  he  encountered 
a  friend  whom  he  had  not  seen  for  many  a 
long  year.  He  had  first  met  with  him  in 
the  days  of  his  youth  at  Tarbes,  where  they 
had  worked  together,  and  listened  in  com- 
pany to  the  teachings  of  Hamelin.  His  com- 
panion had,  in  consequence,  embraced  the 
Reformed  doctrine,  and  afterwards  became 
one  of  the  colporteurs  employed  in  the  cir- 
culation of  religious  books.  In  the  course 
of  his  wanderings  he  had  occasionally  visited 
Saintes,  but  it  was  long  since  he  had  been 
there.  As  on  former  occasions,  he  now 
eagerly  sought  out  Palissy,  to  whom  he  re- 
lated much  of  deep  interest  with  reference 
to  the  progress  of  religious  truth  through- 
out the  provinces  of  France,  while,  at  the 
same  ti.me,  he  drew  a  distressi-ng  picture  of 
the  fearful  sufferings  of  all  classes ;  for  it  has 
been  said,  and  probably  with  little  exaggera- 
tion, that  in  France,  during  the  sixteenth 
century,  there  scarcely  lived  a  p,>or  rustic, 
the  current  of  whose  life  was  noi  distressed 


116         PALISSY   THE    HUGUENOT    POTTER. 


and  troubled  by  the  course  of  state  affairs; 
and  who  had  not  been,  or  was  not  destined 
at  some  time  of  his  life  to  be,  heavily  bruised 
by  a  hard-fisted  government.  Having  fin- 
ished his  narrative,  the  worthy  man  asked 
of  Bernard  some  particulars  concerning  his 
own  history,  and  that  which  had  transpired 
in  the  good  town  of  Saintes  during  the  last 
few  years. 

"  For  myself,"  replied  Palissy,  "  I  may  say 
matters  are  now,  comparatively  speaking, 
prosperous  with  me.  Much  have  I  suffered, 
however,  since  I  last  saw  you.  During  the 
space  of  fifteen  or  sixteen  years  in  all,  1 
have  blundered  on  at  my  business.  "When 
I  had  learned  to  guard  against  one  danger, 
there  came  another  on  which  I  had  not 
reckoned.  I  made  several  furnaces,  which 
caused  me  great  losses,  before  I  understood 
how  to  heat  them  equally.  At  last  I  found 
means  to  make  various  vessels  of  different 
enamels,  intermixed,  in  the  manner  of  jas- 
per.    That  fed  me  several  years ;  and,  when 


PALISSY    THE    HUGUENOT    POTTER.  117 


at  lengih,  I  had  discovered  how  to  make  my 
rustic  pieces,  I  was  in  greater  trouble  and 
vexation  than  before,  for  having  made  a 
certain  number  of  them,  and  put  them  to 
bake,  my  enamels  turned  out,  some  beauti- 
ful and  well  melted,  and  others  quite  the 
reverse ;  because  they  were  composed  of 
different  materials,  which  were  fusible  in  dif 
ferent  degrees.  Thus,  the  green  of  the  liz- 
ards was  burnt  long  before  the  color  of  the 
serpents  was  melted;  and  the  color  of  the 
serpents,  lobsters,  tortoises,  and  crabs,  was 
melted  before  the  white  had  attained  any 
beauty.  All  these  defects  caused  me  much 
labor  and  heaviness  of  spirit,  that,  before  I 
could  render  my  enamels  fusible  at  the  same 
degrees  of  heat,  I  verily  thought  I  shoulr 
be  at  the  door  of  my  sepulchre."  "  Nay 
my  friend,  you  look  tolerably  stout,  at  pre 
sent,  and  carry  your  fifty  years  as  well  a' 
most  men."  "  It  may  be  so,"  was  the  reply 
"  but  you  would  have  thought  otherwise 
had  you  seen  me  some  time  since,  for,  froR. 


118  PALISSY    THE    HUGUElSOl     FOTIKR. 


incessant  labor  and  anxiety,  in  the  space  of 
more  than  ten  years,  I  had  so  fallen  away 
in  my  person,  that  there  was  no  longer  any 
form  in  my  legs  or  roundness  in  my  arms ; 
insomuch  that  my  limbs  were  all  one  thick- 
ness, and  as  soon  as  I  began  to  walk,  the 
strings  with  which  I  fastened  the  bottom 
of  my  hose  dropped  about  my  heels,  to- 
gether with  my  stockings.  I  frequently  used 
to  walk  in  the  meadows  of  Saintes,  consider- 
ing my  vexation  and  affliction,  and  above 
all,  that  I  could  meet  with  no  comfort  or 
approval,  even  in  my  own  house.  But,  in- 
deed, I  was  despised  and  scorned  by  all. 
Nevertheless,  I  always  contrived  to  make 
some  ware  of  divers  colors,  which  afforded 
me  some  sort  of  a  living.  The  hope  which 
supported  me,  meantime,  gave  me  such  a 
manly  courage  for  my  work,  that  often- 
times, to  entertain  persons  who  came  to  see 
me,  I  would  endeavor  to  laugh,  although 
within  me  I  felt  very  sad."  ..."  Who 
would  believe  Master  Bernard  was  ever  verj 


PALISSY   THE    HUGUENOT    POTTER.         119 


sad  ? "  said  a  lively  voice,  and,  at  the  same 
moment,  a  cavalier  entered  the  workshop, 
and  passing  through  it,  peeped  in  at  the 
dooi  of  the  studio  where  Palissy  was  seated 
with  his  friend.  "  You  are  too  prosperous 
a  man  to  speak  after  that  fashion ;  and  your 
coflfers  must  be  filling  apace,  to  judge  by  the 
value  set  on  your  beautiful  designs  in  pot* 
tery."  "  The  Seigneur  de  Burie  speaks  too 
favorably  of 'my  work,"  replied  Bernard,  while 
his  visitor,  rapidly  glancing  round,  noticed 
admiringly  some  charming  things  which  were 
in  progress  of  completion,  and  gave  orders 
for  several  pieces  of  enamelled  earthenware — 
specimens  of  that  beautiful  sculpture  in  clay, 
which  was  destined,  before  long,  to  adorn 
the  mansions  and  palaces  of  the  nobles  of  the 
land. 

"  M.  the  Count  de  la  Rochefoucault  is  eager 
to  visit  your  studio.  Master  Bernard,"  said 
the  seigneur,  as  he  took  his  leave  ;  "  and  his 
patronage  will  be  valuable  to  you  for  more 
reasons  than  one.     Not  only  will  he  give  you 


120         PALISSY   THE    HUGUENOT    POTTER. 


commissions  for  your  works,  but  his  influence 
can  protect  you  from  the  dangers  yoa  incur 
as  one  of   the  new  religionists.     It  is  true, 
indeed,  that  the   support  of  Monseigneur  de 
Montmorency  is  so  powerful  as  to  stand  you 
in  sufficient  stead;  and  a  man  who  is  intrusted 
with  an  important  share  in  his  famous  build- 
ing-works at  Ecouen,  will  be  sure  to  have  a 
large  circle  of  friends,  or,  at  all  events,  ad- 
mirers and  employers.     Nevertheless,  I  would 
say  a  word  of  advice  in  your  ear.     It  is  but 
the  other  day  I  met  his  reverence,  the   dean 
of  this  town,  in  a  courtly  circle,  where   the 
gentry  were  discussing  the  progress  of  here- 
tical doings,  and  I  heard,  with  concern,  that 
you   had    made   yourself  obnoxious   to    that 
dignitary,  as  well  as  to   the  chapter  of  this 
place,  by  your  unguarded  language.     Indeed, 
excuse  me,  if  I  say,  it  were  well  to   be  more 
circumspect.      Is  there   not  a   word   in   the 
Holy  Book   which  bids  us   be  *  wise  as  ser- 
pents'?" 
"  I  thank  you   heartily,   monsieur,  for  th^ 


PALISSY   THE     HUGUENOT    POTTEE.  121 


good  will  you  are  pleased  to  show  towards 
me,"  said  Bernard,  "  but  I  do  assure  you 
these  gentry  have  none  occasion  against  me, 
except  in  that  I  have  urged  upon  them  many 
times  certain  passages  of  Scripture,  in  which 
it  is  written  that  he  is  unhappy  and  accursed 
who  driuks  the  milk  and  wears  the  wool  of 
the  sheep  without  providing  for  their  pasture. 
Assuredly  this  ought  to  have  incited  them  to 
love  me,  rather  than  to  take  umbrage  at  the 
words  of  truth  and  uprightness.  In  the 
mouth  of  an  honest  man  the  language  of 
remonstrance  is  friendly,  and  gives  none 
occasion  for  displeasure."  "  By  my  faith, 
though,"  said  the  seigneur,  laughing  heartily, 
"  such  reproof  must  have  stung  sharply.  I 
trow,  the  cap  fitted  too  closely.  It  is  noto- 
rious that  similar  language  has  been  spoken 
in  the  ears  of  Majesty  itself  The  Advocate- 
General, Segiiier,  in  the  name  of  the  parlia- 
ment of  Paris,  recently  made  the  king's  ears 
tingle  with  his  bold  utterance.  '  If  heresy  is 
to   be   suppressed,'  said   he,  'let  pastors  be 


122  PALISSY   THE    HUGUENOT    POTTER. 


compelled  to  labor  among  their  flocks.  Com- 
mence, sire,  by  giving  an  edict  to  the  nation, 
which  will  not  cover  your  kingdom  with  scaf- 
folds, nor  be  moistened  with  the  blood  or 
tears  of  your  faithful  subjects.  Distant  from 
your  presence  —  bent  beneath  the  toil  of 
labor  in  the  fields,  or  absorbed  in  the  exer- 
cise of  arts  and  trades,  they  cannot  plead  for 
themselves.  It  is  in  their  name  that  parlia- 
ment addresses  to  you  its  humble  remon- 
strance, and  its  ardent  supplication.'  " 

"  Methinks  such  counsel  was  wise  and 
timely.  How  did  the  king  reply  ? "  "  The 
king  ?  oh,  he  listened,  smiled  assent,  and  went 
on  as  before.  However,  the  speech  was  to 
good  purpose,  for  the  opposition  of  parlia- 
ment prevented  a  most  oppressive  enactment, 
against  which  the  appeal  was  made." 

As  the  young  nobleman  turned  to  leave  the 
apartment,  his  eye  was  caught  by  a  carved 
group,  which  stood  somewhat  apart.  ''Ah! 
what  have  we  there  ?  How  lovely  that  infant 
form ;  it  reminds  me  of  my  own  sweet  little 


PALI8SY   THE    HUGUENOT    POTTER.  123 


Am61ie  ; "  and  he  approached  it  more  nearly. 
It  was  a  young  girl    who  had   caught   up  a 
litter  of  puppie- ,  and  was  taking  them  up  in 
the  lap  of  her  pinafore  to  exhibit,  their  httle 
heads  peeping  out   helplessly  over  the   sides 
of  the    cloth,   while  the  mother,   fondly  and 
anxiously  following  its  young,  had  seized  the 
skirt  of  the  child'?  dress,  while  she  was  turn 
ing  with  a  smile  to  quiet  its  solicitude.     "  So 
simple  and  so  natural ! "  said  the  young  man, 
who  was  himself  a  father.     "  One  sees,  at  a 
glance,  it  is  modelled  from  the  life." 

Palissy  sighed.  "  It  is  from  a  sketch  of 
my  eldest  little  daughter,"  he  said,  "  as  she 
came  one  day  into  my  garden-house,  carrying 
her  new  pets,  to  show  me.  Alas !  it  was 
almost  the  last  time  her  frolicsome  glee  de- 
lighted my  heart,  for  she  fell  sick  soon  after." 
"  I  almost  envy  you,  good  Master  Bernard, 
the  power  thus  to  perpetuate  your  reminis- 
cences of  past  joys.  I  had  rather  be  a  suc- 
cessful arti?t  than  a  victorious  warrior."  And 
with  these  words  the  Seigneur  de  Burie  at 
length  departed. 


124         PALISSY   THE     HUGUENOT     POTTER. 


The  two  friends,  beiug  left  to  themselves, 
continued   their   discourse ;    and   Palissy   re- 
lated at  considerable  length,  the  history  of 
his  beloved  church,  now  a  flourishing  com 
munity.      "The    little    one    has    become    a 
thousand,"  said  he.     "  Within    comparatively 
a  short  period  we  have  made  rapid  strides. 
When    our  first   minister,  De  La  Place,  was 
with  us,  it  was  a  pitiable  state  of  afiairs,  for 
we  had  the  good-will,  but  the  power  to  sup 
port  the  pastors  we  had  not.     So  that,  during 
the   time   we   had    him,   he    was   maintained 
partly  at  the  expense  of  the  gentry,  who  fre- 
quently invited  him.     When  he    removed  to 
Allevert,  he  was  succeeded  by  M.  de  la  Bois- 
siere, whom    we   have  at   the   present   time. 
For  a  long  time   there  were  very  few  rich 
people    who    joined     our   congregation,   and 
hence  we  were   often  without  the  means  of 
"lis    support ;    frequently,   therefore,   did   he 
content  himself  with  a  diet  of  fruit  and  vege- 
tables, and  water  as  his  drink.     Yet,  were  we 
not  forsaken,  nor  without  manifest  tokens  of 
God's  favor  and  protection.     Insomuch  that 


PALISSY    THE    HUGUENOT    POTTER.         126 


Qotwithstanding  the  enmity  of  those  who 
sought  to  destroy  the  cause,  there  was  no 
evil  suffered  to  overcome  us;  but  God  bridled 
them,  and  preserved  his  church.  He  fulfilled 
in  our  town  an  admirable  work,  for  there 
were  sent  to  Toulouse  two  of  the  principal 
opponents,  who  would  not  have  suffered  our 
assemblies  to  be  public,  and  it  pleased  God 
to  detain  them  at  that  place  for  two  years  or 
thereabout,  in  order  that  they  might  not  hurt 
his  church  during  the  time  that  he  would 
have  it  manifested  publicly."  "  You  are  then, 
now  so  prosperous,  as  to  venture  openly  to 
avow  your  principles  ?  "  "  Yes  ;  the  absence 
of  these  two  opponents  encouraged  us,  so 
that  we  had  the  hardihood  to  take  the  Market 
Hall,  in  which  to  hold  our  meetings;  and 
now  that  they  have  returned,  though  indeed 
their  will  is  to  molest  and  persecute  us,  as 
before,  yet  are  matters  so  much  changed  that 
their  evil  designs  are  frustrated,  and  they 
dare  not  venture  openly  to  malign  a  work 
which  has  so  well  prospered  that  it  is  chang- 
mg  the  whole  aspect  of  the  town." 


CHAPTER    IV. 

"  The  works  of  the  Lord  are  great,  sought  out  of  all  them 

that  have  pleasure  therein." — Psalm  cxi.  2. 

Palissy  had  not  exaggerated  when  he  said 
that  the  influence  of  the  Reformed  church  in 
Saintes  was  changing  the  whole  aspect  of  the 
town.  Though  but  of  short  duration,  its 
period  of  prosperity  was  bright  and  happy, 
and  he  was  prominent  among  its  firm  and 
peaceable  supporters.  The  picture  he  has 
drawn  of  it  is  a  lovely  one.  "  You  would 
liave  seen  in  those  days,"  he  says^  "  fellow- 
tradesmen,  on  a  Sunday,  rambhng  through 
the  fields,  groves,  and  other  places,  singing, 
in  company,  psalms,  canticles,  and  spiritual 
songs  —  reading  and  instructing  one  another. 
You  would  also  have  seen  the  daughters  and 
maidens,  seated  by  troops,  in  the  gardens  and 
other   places,  who,  in  a  like  way,    delighted 

126 


PALI89T   THE    HUGUENOT    POTTEB.  127 


themselves  in  singing  of  all  holy  things.  The 
teachers  had  so  well  instructed  the  young, 
and  affairs  had  so  much  prospered,  that 
people  had  changed  their  old  manners,  even 
to  their  very  countenances." 

Nor  was  this  merely  a  question  of  psalm- 
singing   and    prayers,   he    assures  us.      The 
reformation  was  practical  and  earnest.    Quar- 
rels, dissentions,  and  hatreds,  were  reconciled; 
unseemly  conduct  and  debauchery  suppressed; 
and  this  had  been  carried  so  far  that  "  even 
the  magistrates  had   assumed  the  control  of 
many  evil    things  which    depended    on  their 
authority."     Inn-keepers    were    forbidden    to 
have  gaming  in    their  houses,  and  to    enter- 
tain the  householders,  whose  duty  it  was  to 
abide  with  their  own  families,  not  eating  and 
drinking   their    substance    elsewhere.     Even 
the  enemies  of  the  church  were  constrained, 
to  their  very  great  regret,  to  speak  well  of 
the  ministers,  and  especially  of  M.  de  la  Bois- 
siere, who  seems  to  have  won  general  respect 
and  esteem  by  his  judicious  and  manly  piety, 


128         PALISSY   THE    HUGUENOT    POTTER. 


as  well  as  his  pastoral  instructions.  Thna 
were  the  opponents  of  the  gospel  fairly  si 
lenced,  and  recourse  was  had  to  a  system  of 
counteraction,  in  the  shape  of  a  reformation 
on  the  part  of  the  Roman  Catholics.  This 
went  to  such  a  point  that  Palissy  says,  "  cer- 
tain of  the  priests  began  to  take  part  in  the 
assemblies,  and  to  study  and  take  counsel 
about  the  church."  In  fact,  it  was  time  they 
should  be  on  the  alert,  for  the  monks  and 
ecclesiastics  were  blamed  in  common  talk ; 
that  is,  by  those  who  cared  nothing  for  reli- 
gion, but  who  were  ready  enough  to  throw 
a  stone  at  these  idle  shepherds.  "  Why  do 
you  not  exhort  your  people,  and  pray,  as 
these  ministers  do  ?  "  they  asked,  "  you  are 
paid  salaries  for  preaching."  These  taunts 
reaching  the  ears  of  Monsieur,  the  theologian 
of  the  chapter,  measures  were  taken  accord- 
ingly, and  the  shrewdest  and  most  subtle 
monks  engaged  for  the  service  of  the  cathe- 
dral church.  "  Thus  it  happened  that,  in 
these  days,  there  was  prayer  in  the  town  of 


PALISSY  THE    HUGUENOT    POTTER.         129 


bmintes  every  day,  from  one  side  or  the 
other."  But  the  thing  which  worried  the 
priests  more  than  any  other,  and  which 
Beemed  to  them  very  strange,  was,  that  sev- 
eral poor  villagers  refused  to  pay  tithes, 
unless  they  were  supplied  with  ministers.  It 
waa  certainly  a  strange  thing  to  see,  as 
Palissy  says,  when  certain  farmers,  who  were 
no  friends  to  the  religion,  finding  these  things 
80,  actually  went  to  the  ministers,  praying 
them  to  come  and  exhort  the  people  of  the 
districts  they  farmed,  in  order  that  they  might 
get  paid  their  tithes ;  the  laborers  having 
refused  to  supply  them  with  corn  and  fruits 
on  any  other  conditions.  In  short,  the  ef- 
forts of  the  little  church  had  so  well  pros- 
pered, that  they  had  constrained  the  wicked 
to  become  good  —  at  all  events,  to  seem  so. 

How  delightful  to  think  of  Bernard  now : 
at  his  ease,  rejoicing  in  the  peace  and  happi- 
ness around  him,  and  in  the  religious  aspect 
of  his  town  ;  frequently  journeying  abroad, 
to  Ecouen  and  elsewhere,  to  and  fro,  as  his 
9 


130         PALISSY   THE    HUGUENOT    POTTER. 


business  required,  and  coming  home  again,  to 
wander,  thoughtfully  and  tranquilly,  among 
the  rocks  and  fields,  in  which  he  took  such 
delight.  He  was  now  so  well  supplied  with 
patronage  that  he  might  have  been  growing 
rich,  had  he  not,  with  his  own  ardent  zeal 
and  restless  energy,  been  ever  expending 
time,  and  toil,  and  money,  on  new  efforts  to 
improve  his  art.  Now,  too,  he  had  leisure 
to  pursue  those  inquiries  which,  in  his  char- 
acter of  a  naturalist,  so  deeply  interested 
him.  With  surprising  and  marvellous  saga- 
city he  penetrated  some  of  the  problems 
which  have  puzzled  the  most  skilful  investi- 
gators, and  there  was  always  mingled  with 
his  love  of  nature  a  spirit  of  glowing  and 
unaffected  piety.  The  bright  gladness  of  his 
pious  soul  was  as  a  beaming  light  that  shone 
upon  his  path,  and  made  it  ever  radiant. 

How  skilfully  he  turned  to  use  all  the 
modes  of  acquiring  knowledge,  and  what 
good  account  he  made  of  his  own  sharp  wits 
we   see  in  a  little  incident  he  has  recorded 


PALISSY   THE    HUGUENOT    POTTER.  131 


It  chanced  one  daj,  he  received  a  visit  from 
the  Dame  de  la  Pons,  for  whom  he  was  exe- 
cuting a  commission,  in  which  the  lady  felt, 
naturally,  a  woman's  interest.  She  had  or- 
dered a  complete  set  of  dishes,  to  be  adorned 
with  his  favorite  "  rustic  figulines ; "  tho 
work  was  progressing  favorably ;  there  re- 
mained only  a  few  pieces  to  be  completed ; 
and  she  had  come  to  see,  and  to  criticise. 
"  Tnis  dish  is  charming,"  said  the  lady  ;  "  the 
bottom  covered  with  sea  weeds  and  corals, 
while  the  fish,  with  open  mouth,  seem  dart- 
ing across  the  water.  Really  one  can  fancy 
the  slight  tremor  of  the  tail.  The  cray-fish, 
the  spider  of  the  waters,  stretches  his  long 
claws  as  if  to  gripe  the  rock,  and  shrink  into 
its  crevices."  "And  see  this  one,  mamma," 
said  her  daughter,  who  had  accompanied  her, 
"  this  is  for  the  fresh  water  fish.  Look  at 
the  edges,  fringed  with  the  dank  mosses,  and 
tho  sides  covered  with  the  broad  leaves  of 
the  plants.  It  is  the  subaqueous  world  of 
waters,  with  all  the  leaves,  stems,  and  flags 


132         PALISSY   THE    HUGUENOT    POTTER. 


of  the  marsh,  and  its  aquatic  animals,  trans- 
ferred to  clay,  as  true  in  form  and  as  brilliant 
in  colors,  as  if  a  housemaid  had  dipped  one 
of  her  plates  in  the  stream,  and  drawn  it 
out,  filled  to  the  brim  with  the  plants,  shells, 
and  animals  of  the  brook."  "  It  is  admira- 
ble," said  her  mother.  Palissy's  eyes  sparkled, 
for  praise  is  sweety  and  what  son  of  Adam  is 
there  to  whom  it  does  not  come  doubly  wel- 
come from  the  lips  of  a  woman  ? 

"  What  a  curious  shell  is  this  !  "  exclaimed 
Madame,  taking  up  one,  from  which  Palissy 
was  modelling.  "  That  comes  from  the  shores 
of  Oleron,"  said  the  artist ;  "  there  are  num- 
bers more  on  yonder  table,"  and  he  pointed  to 
one,  covered  with  a  multitude  of  similar  ones. 
"I  engaged  a  score  of  women  and  children 
to  search  for  them  on  the  rocks.  And  now, 
lady,  I  must  tell  you  something  curious  about 
these  shells.  Only  a  day  or  two  after  they 
were  brought  to  me,  I  chanced  to  call  on  M. 
Babaret,  the  advocate,  who,  you  know,  is  a 
man  famous  for  his  love  of  letters  and  the 


PALISSY    THE    HUGUENOT    POTTEE.  133 


arts.  We  fell  into  some  discussion  upon  a 
point  in  natural  history,  and  he  showed  me 
two  shells  exactly  similar  to  these — Urchin 
shells* ;  but  which  were  quite  massive ;  and 
he  maintained  that  the  said  shells  had  been 
carved  by  the  hand  of  the  workman,  and  waa 
quite  astonished  when  I  maintained,  against 
him,  that  they  were  natural.  Since  that  time, 
I  have  collected  a  number  of  these  shells 
converted  into  stones."  "  You  surprise  me," 
said  his  attentive  hearer ;  "  I  was  indeed 
greatly  puzzled  myself,  some  years  since, 
when  I  chanced  to  find  certain  stones  em- 
bedded in  rock,  made  in  the  fashion  of  a 
ram's  horn,  though  not  so  long  nor  so 
crooked,  but  commonly  arched,  and  about 
half  a  foot  long.  I  could  not  imagine,  nor 
have  I  ever  known  how  they  could  have 
been  formed."  "  Your  description,  madame, 
much  interests  me  ;  for,  it  so  happens  that  J 
have  also  seen,  nay,  possess,  a  stone  of  the 
kind  you  describe,  which  was  brought  "t*    me 

•  Hadiata. 


134  PALISSY   THE   HUGUENOT   POTTER. 


one  day  by  Pierre  Guoy,  citizen  and  sheriff 
of  the  town  of  Saintes.  He  found,  in  his 
farm,  one  of  these  very  stones,  which  was 
half  open,  and  had  certain  indentations,  that 
fitted  admirably,  one  into  the  other.  Well 
knowing  how  curious  I  am  about  such  things, 
he  made  me  a  present  of  it,  which  I  was 
greatly  rejoiced  at ;  for  I  had  seen,  as  1 
walked  along  the  rocks  in  this  neighborhood, 
some  similar  stones,  which  had  awakened  my 
curiosity ;  and,  from  that  time,  1  understand 
that  these  stones  had  formerly  been  the  shells 
of  a  fish,  which  fish  we  see  no  more  at  the 
present  day."  He  then  showed  his  visitors 
the  picture  of  a  rock,  in  the  Ardennes,  near 
the  village  of  Sedan,  in  which  were  paintings 
of  all  the  species  of  shells  that  it  contained. 

"  The  inhabitants  of  that  place,"  said  he, 
"  daily  hew  the  stone  from  that  mountain  to 
build ;  and,  in  doing  so,  the  said  shells  are 
found  at  the  lowest,  as  well  as  at  the  highest 
part ;  that  is,  inclosed  in  the  densest  stones. 
I  am  certain   that  I  saw  one  kind  which  Wftp 


PALISSY  THE   HUGUENOT   POTTER.  135 


sixteen  inches  in  diameter.  From  this  T  infer 
that  the  rock,  which  is  full  of  many  kinds  of 
shells,  has  formerly  been  a  marine  bed,  pro- 
ducing fishes."  "  You  speak  as  if  stones 
grew,  or  were  made,  in  process  of  time,"  said 
the  lady ;  "  while  we  know  that  from  the 
beginning,  God  made  heaven  and  earth.  He 
also  made  the  stones ;  and  from  that  time 
there  have  been  none  made,  for  all  things 
have  been  finished  from  the  commenoement 
of  the  world."* 

"  it  is  indeed,  madame,  written  in  the  book 
of  Genesis  that  God  created  all  things  in 
six  days,  and  that  he  rested  on  the  seventh. 
But  yet,  for  all  that,  God  did  not  make  these 
things  to  leave  them  idle.  Therefore,  each 
performs  its  dut)  according  to  the  command- 

*  Sixty-three  years  after  this  time,  these  opinions  of  Palissy 
concerning  stones  were  propounded,  in  a  public  disputation 
by  three  savants  (one  of  then  an  inhabitant  of  Saintes).  The 
faculty  of  theology  at  Paris  protested  against  their  doctrines 
as  unscriptural.  The  trea*>ses  were  destroyed,  and  the 
authors  banished  from  Paris,  and  forbidden  to  live  in  towna 
or  enter  places  of  public  reai.rt.  It  was  only  the  contemptu- 
ous neglect  in  which  Palissjf  was  held,  that  sav^d  him  from 
ft  Bimilar  fate. 


136  PALISSY    THE     HUGUENOT    POTTER. 


meut  it  received  from  him.  The  stars  and 
planets  are  not  idle.  The  sea  wanders  from 
one  place  to  another,  and  labors  to  bring 
forth  profitable  things.  The  earth  likewise 
is  never  idle ;  that  which  decays  naturally 
in  her,  she  forms  over  again;  if  not  in  one 
shape,  she  will  reproduce  it  in  another.  It 
is  certain  that  if,  since  the  creation  of  the 
world,  no  stones  had  grown  within  the  earth, 
it  would  be  difficult  to  find  any  number  of 
them,  for  they  are  constantly  being  dissolved 
and  pulverized  by  the  effects  of  frosts,  and 
an  infinite  number  of  other  accidents,  which 
daily  spoil,  consume,  and  reduce  stone  to 
earth."  "  You  tell  us  startling  things  ;  very 
hard  to  be  understood,  Master  Bernard," 
said  the  Dame  de  la  Pons,  "  yet  full  of  deep 
interest  to  one  who  loves  to  note  the  won- 
derful works  of  creation,  and  would  fain 
learn  to  see  them  with  discernment  as  well 
as  admiration."  Palissy  paused  from  his 
work,  (he  had  continued  to  sketch  while  he 
conversed,)  and  opening  a  cabinet  with  draw 


PALISSY    THE    HUGUENOT    POTTEK.  137 


era  which  stood  near  him,  he  showed  the 
ladies  several  specimens  of  fossils  and  min- 
erals, which  in  his  enthusiastic  researches 
he  had  collected  *  for,  with  the  acuteness 
of  a  philosophic  observer,  he  had  perceived 
the  importance  of  a  detailed  study  of  fossil 
forms  to  the  discovery  of  geological  truths: 
and  it  may  be  truly  said  that  the  first  who 
pursued  this  study  (on  which  undoubtedly 
modern  geology  and  all  its  grandest  results 
are  founded)  was  Palissy,  the  self-educated 
potter,  who  had  taught  himself  in  the  school 
of  nature.  "  I  have  been  anxious,"  said  he, 
"  to  represent  by  pictures,  the  shells  and 
fishes  which  I  have  found  lapidified,  to  dis- 
tinguish between  them  and  the  sorts  now  in 
common  use ;  but  because  my  time  would 
not  permit  me  to  put  ray  design  in  execu- 
tion, I  have,  for  some  years,  sought,  accord 
Ing  to  my  power,  for  petrifactions,  until  at 
length  I  have  found  more  fishes  and  shells 
tn  that  form  petrified  upon  the  earth  than 
there  are  modern  kinds  inhabiting  the  ocean," 


138  PALISSY   THE     HUGUENOT     POTTER. 


He  then  showed  them  a  small  specimen 
which  he  begged  them  carefully  to  observe. 
"What  can  it  be?"  they  inquired;  "it  re- 
sembles wood  more  nearly  than  anything 
else."  "  You  will  think  it  very  strange  when 
I  dssure  you  that  it  is  indeed  wood,  con- 
verted into  stone.  It  came  into  my  posses- 
sioii  through  the  kindness  ot  the  Seigneur 
de  la  Mothe,  the  secretary  to  the  king  of 
Navarre,  a  man  very  curious  and  a  lover  of 
virtii.  He  was  once  at  court  in  company 
with  the  late  king  of  Navarre,  when  there 
was  brought  to  that  prince  a  piece  of  wood 
changed  into  stone.  It  was  thought  so  great 
a  curiosity  that  the  king  commanded  one  ot 
his  attendants  to  lock  it  up,  among  his  other 
treasures. 

"  Taking  occasion  to  speak  with  the  gen- 
tlemen who  had  received  this  charge,  Mon- 
sieur de  la  Mothe  begged  that  he  would  give 
him  a  little  morsel  of  it,  which  he  did  ;  and 
Bome  time  after,  passing  through  Saintes,  he 
brought  the  tr-'asure  to  me,  and  seeing  how 


PA^'LSr  THE    HUGUENOT    POTTER.         139 


much  pleasure  and  interest  I  took  in  exam- 
ining it,  he  gave  it  me.  I  have  since  made 
inquiry^  and  find  that  it  was  brought  from 
the  forest  of  Fayan,  which  is  a  swampy 
place.  It  appears  to  me,  indeed,  I  am  per- 
suaded, that  in  the  same  manner  as  the  shells 
are  converted  into  stone,  so  is  the  wood  also 
transmuted,  and  being  petrified,  it  preserves 
the  form  and  appearance  of  wood,  precisely 
like  the  shells.  By  these  things  you  see 
how  Nature  no  sooner  suffers  destruction 
by  one  principle,  than  she  at  once  resumes 
working  with  another;  and  this  is  what  I 
have  already  said  —  to  wit,  that  the  earth 
and  the  other  elements  are  never  idle." 
"Where  can  you  have  learned  all  this?" 
asked  the  young  lady,  with  girlish  wonder; 
"I  would  fain  know  to  what  school  you 
have  been,  where  you  have  learned  all  that 
you  are  telling  us."  "In  truth,  Mademoi- 
selle," said  Palissy,  smiling,  "  I  have  had  no 
other  teacher  than  the  heavens  and  the 
earth,  which  are  given  to  all,  to  be  known 


140         PALISSY   THE    HUGUENOT    POTTER. 


and  read.  Having  read  therein,  I  have  re» 
fleeted  on  terrestrial  matters,  because  I  havo 
had  no  opportunity  in  studying  astrologj  to 
contemplate  the  stars." 


CHAPTER   V. 

"The  wicked  walk  on  every  side,  when  the  vilest  men 

ue  exalted."  — Psalm  xii.  8. 

Thus  happily  occupied  with  the  pursuits 
he  loved,  but  taking  no  share  in  the  turmoils 
of  the  time,  Palissy  prospered  and  cheerfully 
pursued  his  way.  He  could  not,  indeed,  be 
an  unconcerned  observer  of  the  events  that 
were  transpiring  around.  Having  eyes,  he 
doubtless  saw  the  clouds  that  were  gather- 
ing over  his  country,  and  from  time  to  time, 
heard  the  thunders  that  threfttened  before 
long  to  burst  in  a  terrific  storm.  P'or  a 
season,  however,  the  evil  day  was  deferred, 
and  the  hymns  of  the  rejoicing  Huguenots 
continued  to  gladden  his  heart.  We  have 
already  had  sufficient  evidence  that  he  did 
not  spare  his  remonstrances  against  those 
who,  while  they  enjoyed  the  revenues  of 
the  church,  neglected  the  performance  of  its 

141 


142  PALISSY  THE  HUGUENOT  POTTER. 


duties.  Nor  did  he  stop  there,  and  as  his 
censures  extended  from  the  highest  to  the 
lowest  matters,  his  shafts  were  often  pointed 
against  those  who  could  ill  endure  the  test 
of  common  sense,  which  he  unceremoniously 
applied  to  them. 

His  criticisms  on  the  follies  and  vices  ot  his 
neighbors  had  too  much  the  character  of 
home-thrusts  not  to  be  felt.  In  his  lively 
way  he  relates  that,  on  one  occasion  he  re- 
monstrated with  a  certain  high  dame  upon 
the  absurdities  and  improprieties  of  feminine 
attire ;  but  "  after  I  had  made  her  this 
remonstrance,"  he  quietly  adds,  ''  the  silly 
woman,  instead  of  thanking  me,  called  me 
Huguenot,  seeing  which  —  I  left  her."  At 
another  time,  he  relates  that,  being  on  a 
visit  to  the  neighboring  town  of  Rochelle, 
he  earnestly  remonstrated  with  a  tradesman, 
of  whom  he  inquired  what  he  had  put  into 
his  pepper  which  enabled  him,  though  buy- 
ing  it  in  that  place  at  thirty-five  sols  the 
pound,   to  make  a  great  profit  by  selling  it 


PALISSy   THE    HUGUENOT    POTTER.  143 


again,  at  the  fair  of  Niord,  at  seventeen 
sols,  in  consequence  of  the  adulteration  of 
the  article.  In  reply  to  the  man's  excuse 
of  poverty,  Bernard  replied,  that  by  such 
/criminal  acts  he  was  heaping  up  to  himself 
fearful  punishments,  "  and  surely,"  said  he, 
■'you  can  better  afford  to  be  poor  than  be 
damned."  Strong,  though  faithful  language, 
which  was  wholly  ineffectual  upon  this  "poor 
insensate,  who  declared  he  would  not  be 
poor,  follow  what  might."  Plain  speaking 
of  this  sort  was  evidently  very  character- 
istic of  Palissy,  who  uttered  his  remon- 
strances without  reckoning  on  the  conse- 
quences. The  same  originality  and  force  ot 
intellect  which  procured  him  patrons  in  his 
art,  undoubtedly,  when  applied  in  a  different 
direction,  served  to  multiply  enemies  aruuiid 
him,  and  their  time  was  not  long  in  coming. 

Happily  and  swittly  flew  the  years  of  pros- 
perity, but  (as  we  have  already  seen)  the 
clouds  were  gathering  in  the  horizon,  and 
soon  the  cruel  hounds  of  War  were  let  slip, 


144  PALISSY   THE   HUGUENOT   POTTER. 


and  most  frightful  were  the  results.  Two 
great  parties  had  involved  in  their  disputes 
the  passions  of  the  whole  French  nation. 
One,  which  included  all  the  Huguenots,  was 
headed  by  the  high  old  French  nobility; 
while  the  leaders  of  the  others,  embracing 
all  the  Roman  Catholics,  were  the  Guises. 
These  opposing  factions,  with  their  strong 
deep  passions,  rapidly  precipitated  themselves 
into  a  fierce  and  bloody  contest.  One  of  the 
young  sons  of  Catherine  de'  Midici  had  died, 
after  a  few  months  of  nominal  rule,  and  a 
child,  no  more  than  ten  years  old,  called 
Charles  IX.,  had  succeeded  to  the  throne. 
The  queen  mother,  who,  as  regent  for  her 
son,  assumed  the  government  of  affairs,  was 
anxious,  as  far  as  possible,  to  offend  neither 
of  the  contending  parties,  but  to  hold  them 
so  well  balanced,  as  to  preserve  the  power 
in  her  own  hands.  For  a  short  time,  there 
was  a  cessation  of  disputes,  and  efforts  at 
conciliation.  The  policy  of  Catherine  was 
the   maintenance    of  peace,   and    she   spoke 


PALISSY   THE    HUGUENOT    POTTER.         146 


fair  to  the  Huguenots,  feigning  so  well  and 
BO   successfully   that   she   was  even  accused 
by  those   of  the  Roman    Catholic    party,   of 
being  in  heart  one  with  tne  new  sect.     The 
reformers   took    courage,   and   were    full    of 
fervor  and  hope ;  the   enthasiasm  spreading 
throughout    the    provinces    and     awakening 
everywhere   the   hope   that   the   triumph    of 
the    Reformed    faith   was   at   hand.     It   was 
but  a  passing  gleam,  presently  followed  by 
a  darker  gloom,  which  finally  deepened  into 
the  thick  night  of    the  Black  Bartholomew. 
In   vain    did   the  queen  and  the  chancellor, 
De  I'Hopital,  labor  to  secure  peace  by  col- 
loquies and  edicts  of  toleration.     The  Guises 
fiercely  "stirred   the  fires  of  contention,  and 
employed  themselves   in  active  preparations 
for   a  struggle.     At  length,  the   first   signal 
for  the  outbreak  of  the  civil  war  was  given. 
There  was  in  Champagne,  a  small  fortified 
town,   called  Vassy,    containing   about  three 
thousand   inhabitants,  a  third  of  whom,   not 
reckoning  the  surrounding  villages,  professed 
10 


146  PALISSY   THE    HUGUENOT    POTTER. 


the  Reformed  religion.  It  happened,  on  tn« 
28th  of  February,  1562,  that  the  Duko  of 
Guise,  journeying  on  his  way  to  Paris,  ac- 
companied by  his  cousin,  the  cardinal  of 
Lorraine,  with  an  escort  of  gentlemen,  fol- 
lowed by  some  two  hundred  horsemen,  vis- 
ited the  chateau  de  Joinville,  which  was 
situated  in  the  neighborhood,  on  an  estate 
belonging  to  the  Lorraines. 

The  mistress  of  the  castle  was  a  very  old 
lady,  the  dowager  Duchess  of  Guise,  whose 
bigoted  attachment  to  the  faith  of  her  an- 
cestors made  the  very  name  of  Huguenot  an 
offence  to  her.  Sorely  indignant  was  she  at 
the  audacity  of  the  inhabitants  of  Vassy,  who 
had  no  right,  she  declared,  as  vassals  of  her 
grand  daughter,  Mary  Stuart,  to  adopt  a  new 
religion  without  her  permission.  Often  had 
she  threatened  vengeance  upon  them,  and  the 
time  was  now  come  to  inflict  it.  And  the 
aged  woman  urged  her  son,  the  fierce  Duke 
Francis,  to  make  a  striking  example  of  these 
insolent    peasants.     As   he   listened    to   her 


"  Palissy  devoutly  opened  the  sacred  volume." 


PALISSY   THE   HUGUBNOT   POTTER.  147 


angry  words,  he  swore  a  deep  oath,  and  bit 
his  beard,  which  was  his  custom,  when  his 
wrath  waxed  strong. 

The  next  morning,  resuming  his  march,  he 
arrived  at  a  village  not  far  oif  the  obnoxious 
town;  and  the  morning  breeze,  as  it  came 
sweeping  up  the  hills,  brought  to  his  ears 
the  sound  of  church  bells.  "  What  means 
that  noise  ?  "  he  asked  of  one  of  his  attend- 
ants. "  It  is  the  morning  service  of  the 
Huguenots,"  was  the  reply.  It  was,  in  fact, 
the  Sabbath  day,  and  the  reformers,  assembled 
to  the  number  of  some  hundreds,  were  per- 
forming their  worship  in  a  barn,  under  the 
protection  of  a  recent  edict  of  toleration. 
Unsuspicious  of  danger,  there  was  not  a  man 
among  them  armed,  with  the  exception  of 
some  ten  strangers,  probably  gentlemen,  who 
wore  swords. 

Suddenly,  a  band  of  the  duke's  soldiers 
approached  the  place,  and  began  shouting  — 
"  Heretic  dogs  I  Huguenot  rebels  I  Kill, 
kill  I "    The  first  person  whom  they  laid  hands 


148  FALISSY   THE    HUGUENOT    POTTER. 


on  was  a  poor  hawker  of  wine.  "  In  whon 
do  you  believe  ?  "  they  cried.  "  I  believe  in 
Jeeus  Christ,"  was  the  answer ;  and  with  one 
thrust  of  the  pike  he  was  laid  low.  Two 
more  were  killed  at  the  door,  and  instantly 
the  tumult  raged.  The  duke,  hastening  up 
at  the  sound  of  arms,  was  struck  by  a  stone, 
which  drew  blood  from  his  cheek.  Instantly 
the  rage  of  his  followers  redoubled,  and  his 
own  fury  knew  no  bounds.  A  horrible 
butchery  followed  ;  men,  women,  and  children 
were  attacked  indiscriminately,  and  sixty 
were  slain  in  the  barn  or  in  the  street,  while 
more  than  two  hundred  were  grievously 
wounded. 

The  pastor,  Leonard  Morel,  at  the  first 
sound  of  alarm,  kneeled  down  in  the  pulpit 
and  implored  the  Divine  aid.  He  was  fired 
at ;  and  then  endeavored  to  escape,  but,  as 
he  approached  the  door,  he  stumbled  over  a 
dead  body,  and  received  two  sabre  cuts  on 
the  right  shoulder  and  on  his  head.  Believing 
himself  to  be  mortally  wounded,  he  exclaimed, 


PALISSY   THE   HUGUENOT   POTTER.  149 


"  Into  thy  hands  I  commend  my  spirit,  0 
Lord  ;  for  thou  hast  redeemed  me."  He  was 
captured,  and  carried,  being  unable  to  walk, 
into  the  presence  of  the  duke.  "  Minister, 
come  this  way,"  he  said,  "what  emboldens 
thee  to  seduce  this  people  ? "  "I  am  no 
seducer,"  said  Morel,  "  but  I  have  faithfully 
preached  the  gospel  of  Jesus  Christ."  "  Does 
the  gospel  teach  sedition,  sirrah  ? "  said  M. 
de  Guise,  with  his  usual  blasphemous  oath ; 
"  thou  hast  caused  the  death  of  all  these 
people ;  and  thou  shalt  thyself  be  hanged 
immediately.  Here,  ProvQt,  make  ready  a 
gallows  for  him  on  the  spot ! "  But  even 
among  that  fierce  crew  none  seemed  willing 
to  obey  the  savage  mandate,  and  no  one 
came  forward  to  enact  the  part  of  hangman. 
This  delay  saved  the  life  of  the  captive,  who 
was  removed  under  good  guard,  but  event- 
ually escaped. 

The  following  year,  as  the  blood-thirsty 
duke  lay  on  his  death-bed,  mortally  wounded 
by  the  hand  of  an  assassin,  he  protested  that 


160  PALISSY   THE    HUGUENOT    POTTER. 


he  had  neither  premeditated  nor  commanded 
the  massacre  of  Vassy.  This  may  be  true ; 
but  his  consent  at  the  moment  of  its  perpe- 
tration is  beyond  question. 

An  extraordinary  effect  was  produced 
throughout  the  whole  kingdom  by  the  tidings 
of  this  cruel  slaughter.  Among  the  Reformed 
party  it  created  a  universal  feeling  of  indig- 
nant horror  and  alarm.  It  was  like  the  war- 
whoop  of  the  Indians,  which  precedes  the 
rush  to  battle.  Each  party  flew  to  arms, 
after  putting  forth  manifestoes,  asserting  the 
merits  of  their  respective  causes.  The  Prince 
of  Conde  hastened  to  Orleans,  which  he  suc- 
ceeded in  occupying,  and  there  the  army  of 
the  Huguenots  established  their  head-quarters. 
In  that  town  the  Calvinist  lords  assembled, 
on  the  Uth  of  April,  1562,  and  after  partaking 
the  Lord's  supper  together,  bound  themselves 
in  an  alliance,  to  maintain  the  edicts,  and  to 
punish  those  who  had  broken  them.  They 
took  a  solemn  oath  to  repress  blasphemy, 
violence,  and  whatever  was  forbidden  by  the 


PALISSY    THE    HUGUENOT    POTTER.  151 


law  of  God,  and  to  set  up  good  and  faithfu. 
ministers  to  instruct  the  people ;  and  lastly, 
they  promised,  by  their  hope  of  heaven,  to 
fulfil  their  duty  in  this  cause. 

And  thus  the  fearful  work  began,  and 
tumult,  massacre,  battle,  and  siege  prevailed. 
Every  town  in  France  was  filled  with  the  riot 
of  contending  factions.  "  It  was  a  grand  and 
frightful  struggle  of  province  against  prov- 
ince, city  with  city,  quarter  with  quarter, 
house  with  house,  man  with  man,"  says  a 
recent  historian.  "  Fanaticism  had  reduced 
France  to  a  land  of  cannibals ;  and  the 
gloomiest  imagination  would  fail  to  conceive 
all  the  variety  of  horrors  which  were  then 
practised." 

We  have  to  do  with  the  town  of  Saintes. 
There  were  few  places  in  which  the  Hugue- 
nots were  so  numerous,  and  had  multiplied  so 
rapidly,  as  in  Saintonge.  Passions  were  no- 
where stronger  ;  no  place  was  more  trampled 
by  combatants  ;  it  was  the  scene  of  many  of 
the  maddest  contests  during  the  days  of  the 


152  PALISSY    THE    HUGUENOT    POTTER. 


religious  warfare.  At  the  invitation  of  the 
Duke  de  La  Rochefoucault,  all  the  Protestant 
leaders  of  the  district  gathered  themselvea 
together  at  Angouleme,  and  betook  them- 
selves, under  his  guidance,  to  Orleans,  in 
order  to  join  the  Prince  of  Conde,  who  was 
his  brother-in-law.  After  the  departure  of 
these  forces,  the  various  towns  in  that  neigh- 
borhood, Angouleme,  Saintes,  Pons,  and 
others,  remained  indeed  in  the  possession 
of  the  Huguenots,  but  without  defence, 
nearly  all  the  Reformers  of  the  district,  capa- 
ble of  bearing  arms,  having  followed  the 
march  of  De  La  Rochefoucault,  "  especially,' 
we  are  told,  "  those  of  Saintes."  Conse- 
quently, the  town,  deprived  of  its  soldiers 
presented  an  easy  prey  to  the  enemy,  and  in 
a  short  time,  fell  into  the  hands  of  a  hostile 
leader,  named  Nogeret,  who  treated  with 
harsh  severity  all  that  remained  in  the  place^ 
In  execution  of  a  decree  from  Bordeaux,  by 
which  the  Reformers  were  abandoned,  with 
out  appeal,  to  the  mercy  of  any  royal  judge, 


PALISSY   THE    HUGUENOT     POTTER.  153 


Among  those  thus  given  over  to  the  power 
of  these  miscreants,  was  Palissy.  In  few  but 
emphatic  words,  he  has  recorded  the  terrors 
of  that  fearful  time.  "  Deeds  so  wretched 
were  then  done,"  he  said  afterward,  "  that  I 
have  horror  in  the  mere  remembrance.  To 
avoid  those  dreadful  and  execrable  sights,  I 
withdrew  into  the  secret  recesses  of  my 
house,  and  there,  by  the  space  of  two  months, 
I  had  warning  that  hell  was  broke  loose,  and 
that  all  the  spirits  of  the  devils  had  come  into 
this  town  of  Saintes.  For  where,  a  short 
time  before,  I  had  heard  psalms,  and  holy 
songs,  and  all  good  words  of  edification,  now 
mine  ears  were  assailed  only  with  blas- 
phemies, blows,  menaces,  and  tumults ;  all 
miserable  words,  and  lewd  and  detestable 
songs.  Those  of  the  Reformed  religion  had 
all  disappeared,  and  our  enemies  went  from 
house  to  house,  to  siege,  sack,  gluttonize,  and 
laugh  ;  jesting  and  merry-making  with  all 
dissolute  deeds,  and  blasphemous  words  against 
God  and  man." 

Very  terrible  is  this  truth-breathing  descrip* 


154         PALISST  THE    HUGUENOT    POTTER. 


tion  of  the  miseries  of  a  city  given  over  to 
the  licence  of  an  unbridled  soldiery ;  but  the 
most  affecting  picture  is  that  which  he  draws 
when  closing  his  short  narrative  of  those 
"  evil  days  "  :  "  I  had  nothing  at  that  time 
but  reports  of  those  frightful  crimes  that, 
from  day  to  day,  were  committed ;  and  of  all 
those  things,  that  which  grieved  me  most 
within  myself  was,  that  certain  little  children 
of  the  town,  who  came  daily  to  assemble  in 
an  open  space  near  the  spot  where  I  was 
hidden  (always  exerting  myself  to  produce 
some  work  of  my  art),  dividing  themselves 
into  two  parties,  fought  and  cast  stones  one 
side  against  another,  while  they  swore  and 
blasphemed  in  the  most  execrable  language 
that  ever  man  could  utter,  so  that  I  have,  aa 
it  were,  horror  in  recalling  it.  Now,  that 
lasted  a  long  time,  while  neither  fathers  nor 
mothers  exercised  any  rule  over  them.  Often 
I  was  seized  with  a  desire  to  risk  my  life  by 
going  out  to  punish  them ;  but  I  said  in  my 
heart  the  79th  Psalm,  which  begins,  '  0  God, 
the  heathen  are  come  into  thine  inheritance." 


CHAPTER    VI. 

"  A  friend  loveth  at  all  times,  and  a  brother  is  born  foi 
adversity." — Proverbs  xvii.  17. 

The  Seigneur  de  Burie  had  not  spoken  with 
out  suflBcient  cause  when  he  warned  Palissj 
that  he  had  made  himself  enemies  of  certain 
high  church  dignitaries  in  Saintes.  Those 
admonitions  he  had  uttered  were  not  for- 
gotten by  the  Romish  ecclesiastics,  who 
bestirred  themselves  so  zealously,  that  after 
the  city  had  been  in  the  power  of  the  Ro- 
man Catholic  party  for  a  few  weeks,  violent 
hands  were  laid  upon  the  unsuspecting  pot- 
ter. He  had  believed  himself  secure  from 
actual  assault  within  his  own  premises,  and 
not  without  cause,  since  he  was  under  the 
protection  of  a  safeguard,  given  him  by  the 
Duke  de  Montpensier,  which  expressly  for- 
bade the  authorities  undertaking  anything 
against  him  or  his  house.     It  was  also  well 

165 


156  PALISSY    THE    HUGUENOT    POTTER. 


kuown  by  both  parties  that  the  building  11 
which  he  worked  for  the  constable  had  been 
partly  erected  at  the  expense  of  that  noble- 
man, and  that,  on  occasion  of  an  outbreak 
in  the  city  which  had  occurred  some  cime 
before,  the  leaders  of  the  Roman  Catholic 
party  had  expressly  forbidden  any  interfer 
ence  with  Palissy  or  his  work,  through  re- 
spect to  his  employer. 

But  matters  had  now  reached  a  strange 
height,  and  there  seemed  to  be  a  favorable 
season  for  malice  and  bigotry  to  work  their 
will.  Palissy  was  arrested  and  imprisoned ; 
and,  as  soon  as  he  was  taken  into  custody, 
his  worshop  was  broken  into,  and  part  of 
it  laid  open  to  the  intrusion  of  the  public. 
The  magistrates,  at  their  town  meeting, 
actually  came  to  a  resolution  to  pull  down 
the  building,  and  would  infallibly  have  car- 
ried their  purpose  into  effect,  had  not  the 
Seigneur  de  Pons  and  his  lady  immediately 
interfered.  These  tried  friends  of  Bernard 
lost  no  time  in  personally  remonstrating  with 


PALISSY  THE    HUGUENOT    POTTER.         157 


the  magistrates,  from  whom  they,  with  some 
difficulty,  obtained  the  promise  to  defer  car- 
rying out  their  design.  To  deliver  him  from 
the  clutches  of  his  enemies  was  not  so  easy 
a  matter.  His  prosecutors  were,  in  fact,  no 
other  than  the  dean  and  chapter,  who,  he 
says,  were  his  cruel  foes,  and  would  have 
delivered  him  to  death  for  no  other  cause 
than  his  free  speech  in  the  matter  of  their 
neglect  of  duty. 

The  Sire  de  Pons,  as  king's  lieutenant  in 
Saintonge,  had  power  to  control  the  justices 
of  Saintes ;  and,  consequently,  the  hands  of 
his  judges  were  tied.  They  were  all,  indeed, 
"  one  body,  one  soul,  and  one  single  will,'' 
with  the  reverend  prosecutors  of  their  pris- 
oner, and  without  a  shadow  of  doubt,  had 
they  been  able  to  work  their  pleasure,  he 
would  have  been  put  to  death  before  appeal 
could  have  been  made  to  the  constable. 

"  An  awkward  business  is  this,"  said  the 
dean  to  one  of  his  brethren,  as  they  dis- 
cussed  the    matter   of   the   interposition   of 


158  PALISSY   THE    HUGUENOT    POTTER. 


the  Sire  de  Pons.  "  Plainly,  we  cannot 
carry  out  our  intentions  here  ;  but  once  at 
Bordeaux,  this  obstinate  heretic  would  be 
given  up  into  the  hands  of  the  parliament 
there,  and  then  the  interference  of  the  king 
alone  could  save  him."  "  There  will  be  no 
satisfaction  till  he  is  silenced,"  was  the 
reply ;  "  and,  without  doubt,  he  has  done 
ample  mischief.  Only  think  of  the  labor- 
ers on  our  farms  beginning  to  murmur  at 
paying  tithes  to  those  whom  they,  forsooth, 
say  do  not  deserve  them.  This  comes  of 
his  unbridled  tongue.  And  shall  we  thus 
be  defied  and  brow-beaten  by  an  insolent 
mechanic?"  "Nay,  there  is  no  need  to 
urge  me  on.  If  he  were  but  in  our  power ; 
.  .  .  but  the  question  is,  how  to  manage 
the  affair,  and  get  him  safely  out  of  the 
iurisdiction  of  these  people,  who  will  cer- 
tainly never  be  brought  to  consent  to  his 
condemnation.  There  are  so  many  wealthy 
men  in  this  neighborhood  by  whom  the 
knave  is  employed  in  decorative  works,  be- 


PALISST   THE    HUGUENOT    POTTER.  159 


eides  the  buildings  at  Ecouen,  and  his  skill 
in  pottery-ware,  has  made  him  so  much 
thought  of,  that  he  is  safe  as  long  as  he 
remains  within  this  district."  "  To  Bor- 
deaux, then,  let  him  go ;  and  that  without 
delay.  Why  not  this  very  night?  In  the 
day-time  the  matter  would  get  bruited  abroad, 
and  his  friends  might  contrive  to  send  to  the 
rescue ;  but  by  night,  and  across  by-roads, 
he  can  be  carried  off  silently  and  safely ; 
and  once  at  Bordeaux — "  .  .  .  "You  say 
well.  Measures  shall  be  taken  immediately." 
Little  did  our  captive  imagine  what  were 
the  devices  of  those  that  hated  him.  He 
might  easily  have  contrived  to  escape  be- 
yond their  reach,  had  he  not  reckoned  him- 
self so  safe  that  his  arrest  came  upon  him 
wholly  unawares.  It  had  fared  ill  with  him 
at  this  juncture  but  for  the  watchful  and 
affectionate  care  of  his  old  friend  Victor. 
Through  the  interposition  of  those  from 
whom  he  had  learned  the  particulars  of 
Hamelin's  last  hours,  he  obtained  admission 


160  PALISSY   THE    HUGUENOT    POTTER. 


into  the  prison  where  Palissy  was  confined, 
and  ministered  to  him  with  the  solicitude 
of  a  brother.  By  his  means,  communica- 
tion was  carried  on  between  the  prisoner 
and  his  patrons,  the  Seigneurs  de  Burie 
and  de  Jarnac,  as  well  as  the  king's  lieu- 
tenant. All  these  gentlemen  took  much 
trouble,  and  made  interposition  with  the 
dean  and  chapter,  to  whom  they  repeatedly 
urged  that  no  man  but  Palissy  could  com- 
plete M.  de  Montmorency's  work,  and  that 
the  displeasure  of  his  highness  would  be 
incurred  if  a  person  under  his  especial 
patronage  were  injured.  We  have  seen 
that  their  interference  did  but  hasten  on 
the  catastrophe,  and  make  his  doom  more 
certain. 

Victor's  heart  misgave  him  that  evil  was 
designed  against  his  friend.  He  had  seen 
the  fearful  end  of  the  two  pastors  of  Alle- 
vert  and  Gimosac,  and  the  more  recent  fate 
Df  Hamelin ;  and  the  most  cruel  forebodings 
oppressed  him.     He  was  incessantly  on  the 


PALlSSY   THE    HtJGUENOT    POTTEK.         161 

watch,  and  when  obliged  to  leave  the  ]»n8ori, 
and  compelled  to  abandon  Palissy  to  sol- 
itude, he  could  not  go  to  his  own  home 
and  rest  there,  but  remained,  pacing  to  and 
fro,  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  jail;  and, 
while  thus  restless  and  agitated,  he  poured 
out  his  soul  in  earnest  entreaties  for  help 
from  on  high.  Oh,  the  blessing  of  a  true 
friend  in  the  hour  of  adversity  !  How  sweet 
a  thing  is  heavenly  charity  —  the  brother- 
hood of  love  in  Christ  Jesus !  It  was  a 
true  word,  spoken  by  the  great  lawyer,  Ger- 
bellius  —  "There  is  nothing  the  devil  hates 
so  cordially  as  sincere  friendship;"  and  what 
marvel,  since,  as  an  old  divine  says,  "  It 
makes  men  so  unlike  his  ill-natured  self." 
But,  as  long  as  we  enjoy  prosperous  days, 
and  sail  before  a  favoring  wind,  there  is  no 
test  by  which  we  can  prove  the  strength 
and  value  of  this  principle.  The  time  to 
know  who  truly  loves  us  is  the  season 
when  troubles  assail  us.  All  sorts  of  afflio- 
tion  and  misery  test  this,  and  show  what 
U 


162       rALxsaT  the  huguenot  pottee. 

friePflship  is  genuine  and  hearty.  This  is 
one  of  "  the  uses  of  adversity,"  as  friend- 
ship is  one  of  its  sweetest  alleviations. 

On  the  afternoon  of  the  day  when  Palissy's 
abstraction  from  Saintes  was  plotted,  Victor 
was  at  his  customary  post  beside  his  friend, 
who  remained  quite  composed  and  free  from 
anxiety  on  his  own  account.  "  Be  not  so 
anxious,"  he  said,  endeavoring  to  soothe  the 
fears  he  did  not  share ;  "  I  am,  at  all  events, 
secure  from  further  harm,  since  the  power 
is  not  in  the  hands  of  these  jjidges.  No 
thanks,  indeed,  to  theia;  they  fear  to  lose 
some  morsel  of  ben<^fice  which  they  pos- 
sess, and  consequently  go  hand  in  hand  with 
my  sanguinary  enemies.  It  is  certain  I  can 
but  take  the  blame  of  what  has  befallen 
me  to  my  own  account.  Jesus  Christ  has 
left  us  a  counsel,  written  in  the  7th  chap- 
ter of  St.  Matthew,  by  which  he  forbids  us 
to  scatter  pearls  before  the  swine,  lest,  turn- 
ing upon  us,  they  rend  us.  If  I  had  obeyed 
this  injunction,  I  should  not  now  have  been 


PALI8SY   THE    HUGUENOT    POTTEE.  163 


in  suffering,  and  at  the  mercy  of  those  who, 
though  they  want  the  power,  have  undoubt- 
edly the  will  to  bring  me  to  destruction  as 
a  malefactor." 

Just  at  that  moment  the  jailer  entered, 
desiring  a  man  who  followed  him  to  brmg 
in  a  box,  which  they  placed  in  a  corner  of 
the  room.  "  You  must  be  going  soon," 
said  he,  addressing  Victor ;  "  I  have  some 
business  in  hand,  and  must  lock  up  doors 
early  to-night.  Your  friend  can  stay,  how- 
ever," he  added,  casting  a  glance  at  Palissy, 
which  seemed  to  the  ever  observant  Victor 
to  have  a  shade  of  compassion  in  it,  "  for 
half  an  hour  longer,  if  you  wish  it."  So 
saying  he  retired,  turning  the  key,  which 
grated  heavily  and  with  a  harsh  sound  in 
the  lock.  Victor  would  have  spoken  of  his 
suspicion  that  something  was  wrong,  and 
that  mischief  was  designed;  but  Bernard 
interrupted  him  with  a  gesture  of  impa- 
tience, and  presently  began  talking  on  a 
theme  which    appears   to    have    formed   tlie 


164         PALISSY    THB    HUGUENOT    FOTTEK. 

solace  of  his  prison-house,  and  by  which  he 
wiled  away  the  hours,  which  else  had  seemed 
80  tedious  to  his  free  and  active  nature.  He 
had  for  some  time  had  it  in  his  intention  to 
publish  a  little  book  containing  his  obser- 
vations and  opinions  on  various  matters  — 
in  short,  the  experience  of  his  past  years 
He  now  recurred  to  this  subject.  "  I  have 
resolved,"  said  he,  "  that  my  book  shall  treat 
on  four  subjects ;  to  wit,  agriculture,  natural 
history,  the  plan  of  a  delectable  garden,  (to 
which  I  will  append  a  history  of  the  troubles 
in  Saintonge,)  and  lastly,  the  plan  of  a  for- 
tified town,  which  might  serve  as  a  city  of 
refuge  in  these  perilous  times.  Of  the  two 
former  I  have  sketched  the  plan  in  my  imagi- 
nation, and  the  matter  of  the  garden  now 
fills  my  thought.  You  know  well  the  de 
light  I  have  in  so  great  a  recreation,  and 
how  I  have  been  minded  to  make  me  such 
a  pleasant  retreat,  as  a  place  of  refuge, 
whither  I  might  flee  from  the  iniquity  and 
malice  of  the  world  to  serve  God  with  pure 


PALISSY    THE     HUGUENOT     POTTER.  165 


freedom."  "  Would  to  heaven,  my  beloved 
friend,  you  were  safe  sheltered  there,"  said 
Victor,  "  but  oh,  methinks  this  is  but  a  plea- 
sant dream."  "  Often,  in  my  sleep,  I  have 
seemed  to  be  occupied  about  it,"  said  Ber- 
nard, "  and  it  happened  to  me  only  last  night, 
that,  as  I  lay  slumbering  on  my  bed,  my 
garden  seemed  to  be  already  made,  and  I 
already  began  to  eat  its  fruits  and  recreate 
myself  therein ;  and  it  came  to  pass,  in  my 
night  vision,  that,  while  considering  the  mar- 
vellous deeds  which  our  Sovereign  Lord  has 
commanded  nature  to  perform,  I  fell-  upon 
my  face,  to  worship  and  adore  the  Living 
of  the  living,  who  has  made  such  things  for 
man's  service  and  use.  That  also  gave  me 
occasion  to  consider  our  miserable  ingrati- 
tude and  perverse  wickedness ;  and  the  more 
I  entered  into  the  contemplation  of  these 
things,  the  more  was  I  disposed  to  value 
the  art  of  agriculture,  and  I  said  in  mysell 
that  men  were  very  foolish  so  to  despise 
rural  places  and  the  labors  of  the  field,  which 


166  PALISSY   THE    HUGUENOT    POTTER. 


18  a  thing  just  before  God,  and  which  oui 
ancient  fathers,  men  of  might  and  propihets, 
were  content  themselves  to  exercise,  and 
even  to  watch  the  flocks ;  and  being  in  such 
ravishment  of  spirit — " 

The  sentence  was  broken  short  by  the  re- 
turn of  the  jailor,  who  announced  that  the 
time  he  had  allowed  was  now  expired.  Victor 
reluctlautly  took  his  leave  of  Palissy,  and, 
with  a  heavy  heart,  turned  to  go  from  him. 
No  sooner  had  he  reached  the  open  street, 
than,  again  recurring,  in  his  own  thoughts,  to 
what  had  transpired,  he  felt  convinced  that 
something  was  wrong.  That  compassionate 
glance  of  the  stern  jailer  intimated,  as  it 
seemed  to  him,  the  cause  of  the  favor  he  had 
granted,  in  allowing  the  two  friends  a  longer 
interval  before  they  were  parted.  '*  Parted  !" 
cried  Victor,  his  heart  filled  with  dismay  as 
his  lips  unconsciously  uttered  the  ominous 
word — "  parted  !  can  it  be  that  we  are  parted 
for  ever  ?  Lord  !  "  he  exclaimed,  in  a  burst 
of  feeling,  "  be  thou   his  guard  and  his  de- 


PALISSY    THE     HUGUENOT    POTTER.  1G7 


fence,  as  a  wall  of  fire  to  keep  thy  servant ; 
and  in  this  hour  of  trial  show  that  thine  arm 
is  not  shortened,  that  it  cannot  save."  After 
a  short  interval,  he  repeated,  in  a  low  tone, 
this  verse  of  a  hymn,  composed  by  the  Protes. 
tant  Gondinel,  and  often  sung  by  the  little 
persecuted  church  of  Saintes  : — 

"  The  time  is  dark,  we  faint  with  woe. 
Our  foes  are  mightier  far  than  we; 

They  say,  '  Their  God  forsakes  them  now, 
And  who  shall  their  deliyever  be  ? ' 

Lord,  show  thy  presence — prove  thy  power. 

And  save  us  at  the  latest  hour." 

Continuing  to  pace  to  and  fro,  he  remained 
within  sight  of  the  prison  until  the  darkness 
gathered  around,  and  the  bright  stars,  one  by 
one,  came  shining  in  brilliant  beauty  overhead. 
The  sight  of  them,  as  he  raised  his  prayerful 
eyes  upwards,  calmed  his  spirit,  and  he  whis- 
pered gently,  "  He  calleth  them  all  by  their 
names."  It  was  a  thought  calculated  to  in- 
spire confidence  in  Him  who  has  promised  to 
his  children  that  they  shall  be  graven  on  the 
palms  of  his  hands,  and  who  has  said,  "  Call 


1G8         PALISSY    THE     HUGUENOT     POTTER. 


upon  me  in  the  day  of  trouble  ;  I  will  deliver 
thee,"  and  the  spirit  of  Victor  was  cheered  as 
he  pleaded  the  exceeding  great  and  precious 
promises  of  Divine  love. 

At  length  the  hour  of  midnight  approached, 
and  still  all  around  remained  hushed  in  repose. 
There  was  nothing  to  justify  his  prognosticei- 
tions,  nor  to  awaken  alarm,  and  he  had  just 
resolved  to  retire,  when  the  sound  of  horses 
tramping  at  a  distance,  caught  his  ear.  Pre- 
sently, from  a  side  street  emerged  a  small 
troop  of  horsemen,  who  moved  cautiously 
along,  and  kept,  as  much  as  possible,  within 
the  deep  shadows  of  the  walls.  They  pro- 
ceeded down  the  street,  and  drew  up  before 
the  gate  of  the  prison-house.  Victor,  who 
had  hastily  retired  beneath  an  archway, 
watched  their  movements  with  strained  eyes, 
and  dimly  saw,  by  the  starlight,  the  outline 
of  their  figures  as  they  filed  along.  The  gate 
was  unbarred  to  them  without  summons,  and 
the  next  instant  a  mufiled  form  was  led  out 
between  two  men,  and  hastily  lifted  on  to  the 


PALISSY    THE    HUGUENOT     POTTER.  169 


crupper  of  one  of  the  horses  behind  the  stal- 
wart torm  of  a  trooper.  There  was  not  a 
moment  to  lose,  for  the  party  were  evidently 
about  to  resume  their  march,  and  Victor,  with 
ready  wit,  emerging  from  his  hiding-place, 
reeled  forward,  in  the  manner  of  a  drunken 
man,  and  began  to  sing  a  carol.  Just  as  the 
horse,  with  its  double  freight,  passed  him,  he 
shouted  the  words,  "  Save  us  at  the  latest 
hour."  His  stratagem  succeeded,  for  a  shrill 
whistle  was  instantly  heard,  mingling  with 
the  ringing  sound  of  the  horses'  hoofs  on  the 
Btones,  as  they  passed  along  the  street.  "  It 
is  he ! "  cried  Victor,  and,  with  the  speed  of 
a  grey-hound,  he  darted  down  the  nearest 
passage. 

He  knew  that  his  errand  admitted  not  of 
delay.  There  was  but  one  chance  that  Palissy 
might  be  saved.  It  was  an  intercession  with 
the  king ;  and  possibly  the  Sire  de  Pons,  on 
receiving  immediate  information  of  the  secret 
Victor  had  thus  learned,  might  take  timely 
measures  to  frustrate  the  deadly  designs  of 
Bernard's  enemies. 


fart  f^irlr. 


CHAPTER    I. 

*'  A  good  maa  shall  be  satisfied  from  himself." 

Proveebs  xiv.  14. 

Palissy  was  now  immured  within  the  walla 
of  the  Bordeaux  prison.  While  he  lies  there, 
bereft  of  the  consolation  he  had  hitherto  en- 
joyed in  the  society  of  Victor,  we  must  betake 
ourselves  to  a  very  different  scene. 

In  consequence  of  the  information  he  re- 
ceived from  the  Sire  de  Pons,  the  constable 
Montmorency  determined,  as  the  only  means 
of  averting  the  fate  which  threatened  his  .in- 
genious workman,  to  apply  himself,  in  person, 
to  the  queen  mother,  through  whose  influence 
the  court  might  be  induced  to  protect  him. 

170 


PALISSY    THE     HUGUENOT     POTTER.  171 


lu  fact.  Catherine  was  herself  virtually  mon- 
arch, and  a  word  from  her  would  suffice. 
The  sole  redeeming  quality  of  this  woman  of 
evil  renown  was,  an  enlightened  taste  for 
literature  and  the  fine  arts ;  a  taste  which 
seems  to  have  been  hereditary  in  her  family. 
She  enriched  the  royal  library  with  many 
precious  manuscripts  of  Greece  and  Italy, 
and  presented  to  it  half  the  volumes  which 
her  great  ancestor,  Lorenzo  de'Medici,  had 
purchased  of  the  Turks,  after  the  taking  of 
Constantinople.  Especially,  she  excelled  in 
her  love  of  the  fine  arts,  and  her  taste  and 
genius  were  displayed  in  the  erection  of  many 
chateaux  in  various  provinces  remarkable  for 
the  exactness  of  their  proportions  and  their 
style,  at  a  period  when  the  French  had 
scarcely  a  notion  of  the  principles  of  archi- 
tecture. At  the  present  time,  she  had  just 
conceived  the  purpose  of  constructing  a  new 
residence  for  herself;  and  Montmorency  found 
her,  in  one  of  the  apartments  assigned  to  her 
use,  in  the   palace  of  the  Louvre,  busily  en- 


172  PALISSy    THE     HUGUfiNOT     POITER. 


gaged  in  looking  over  some  manuscript  plans. 
As  the  constable  was  announced,  she  raised 
her  eyes  from  the  table  on  which  these  de« 
signs  were  placed,  and  after  receiving  his 
salutations,  begged  him  to  be  seated  beside 
her,  and  pointing  with  her  hand  (the  most 
beautiful  one  ever  beheld,  according  to  a  con- 
temporary historian),  she  smilingly  requested 
his  assistance  in  her  choice.  "  Allow  me, 
monsieur,"  she  said,  "  to  appeal  to  your  judg- 
ment, for  in  the  matter  now  under  considera- 
tion, I  could  not  have  an  adviser  whose 
opinion  I  should  more  highly  value.  You 
are  aware  that  the  chateau  des  Tournellea 
has  been  destined  to  demolition,  and  I  have, 
therefore,  determined  to  build  me  a  new  pal- 
ace, the  site  of  which  I  am  anxious  to  fix 
upon.  The  plan  now  before  his  majesty" — 
and  she  glanced  at  her  son,  the  poor  young 
boy  king,  who  sat  opposite  her — "  appears  to 
me  to  present  no  small  advantages."  The 
paper  to  which  the  queen  referred  was  the 
plan  of  a  plot  of  ground  close  to  the  trenchoa 


PALISSY   THE   HUGUENOT   POTTER.  173 


of  the  Louvre,  situated,  at  that  time,  out  oi 
Paris,  and  which  had  been  purchased,  some 
halt-century  before,  by  king  Francis  I.,  as  a 
present  to  his  mother,  Marie  Louise,  of  Savoy. 
It  had  been  originally  occupied  by  tuileries 
(t.  c  lime  kilns),  and  in  the  old  drawings 
which  Catiierine  was  inspecting,  the  spots 
where  formerly  stood  the  wood-yards  and 
baking-houses  used  in  making  the  bricks  and 
tiles,  were  marked  out.  "  Its  situation  by  the 
river,  and  the  large  space  suitable  for  garden 
ground  attached  to  it,  seem  much  in  its  favor, 
madame,"  said  the  constable,  "  And  its  neigh- 
borhood to  the  royal  dwelling  also,"  said  the 
queen,  at  the  same  time  she  unrolled  another 
map,  which  she  proceeded  to  examine,  with 
the  assistance  of  Montmorency. 

Whilst  they  were  thus  engaged,  we  will 
take  the  opportunity  to  say  something  of  the 
two  royal  personages  present.  Charles  IX. 
was  not  yet  fourteen  years  old,  tall  in  stature, 
strongly  but  not  gracefully  built,  and  with  a 
countenance    of   energetic    oxpression,    but 


174         PALISSY   THE    HUGUENOT    POTTER. 


fierce  and  unrefined.     The  poor  lad,  investert 
at  so  early  an  age  with  unbounded  authority, 
appears  to  have   been  naturally  of  a  violeni 
temper,  with  high  animal  spirits.     His  greai 
passion  was  the  chase,  and  he  also  showed 
considerable  taste  for   letters.     But,  kept  in 
subjection    to   the   will    of   his   mother,   and 
tutored  by  her   to    suspect   and   dissimulate, 
his  natural  character  was  vitiated,  and  he  suf- 
fered himself  to  continue,  to  the  time  of  his 
death,  the  passive  instrument  of  her  ambition 
and  cruelty.     A  remarkable  anecdote  is  told 
of  him,   which    seems   to    prove    that   better 
things  might  have  been  expected  of  him,  had 
his  education  been  in  difi'erent  hands.     When 
but   a   youth,  having    perceived    that    after 
drinking  wine  he  was   no  longer  master  of 
himself,  he  swore  never  to  use  it  again  ;  and 
he  kept  his  oath.     What  might  not  have  been 
expected    from    a   prince    gifted   with    such 
powers  of  self-control,  had  he  been  judiciously 
trained  ? 

At  the  time  of  which  we  are  speaking,  the 


PALISSY  THE    HUGUENOT    POTTER.  175 


queen  mother  was  in  the  decHne  of  her 
beauty,  though  she  still  retained  some  rem- 
nants of  those  charms  which  adorned  her  in 
youth.  She  was  clad  in  the  black  robes  of 
her  widowhood,  which  it  was  her  fancy  to 
persist  in  wearing  long  after  the  usual  period; 
her  hair  was  completely  hidden  beneath  the 
angular  white  cap  we  see  in  the  pictures  of 
that  day,  and  her  strongly-marked  features 
were  softened  by  the  shade  of  a  grey  gauze 
veil.  Her  eyebrows  were  dark,  and  her  eyes, 
large  and  brilliant,  had  a  restless  severity  in 
their  expression,  which  inspired  fear  and  dis- 
trust. Her  complexion  was  olive,  and  her 
figure  tall  and  large,  her  movements  full  of 
grace  and  majesty,  while  an  air  of  command 
was  visible  in  every  gesture. 

As  she  spoke  now,  the  tones  of  hei'  voice 
were  soft  and  musical,  for  it  was  her  wish 
to  please  ;  but,  when  angry  passions  agitated 
her  bosom,  they  became  dissonant,  harsh,  and 
startling. 

"  I  think,"  she  said,  in  answer  to  an  obser 


176         PALISSY   THE    HUGUENOT    POTTEft. 


vation  made  by  Montmorency,  "  the  balance 
of  advantages  lies  much  in  favor  of  the  first 
design,  to  which  I  shall,  therefore,  give  the 
preference,  and  will  immediately  give  direc- 
tions for  digging  the  foundations  of  the  new 
palace,  and  it  shall  be  named,  from  the  site 
on  which  it  is  built,  the  Palace  of  the 
Tuileries."  "  Well,  madam,"  said  the  consta- 
ble, "  your  majesty  has  admirably  chosen,  and 
skilfully  selected,  an  appropriate  name  for  the 
intended  royal  abode."  "  It  occurred  to  my 
recollection,"  said  Catherine,  "  that  one  of 
the  finest  quarters  of  ancient  Athens  was 
called  the  Ceramic,  because  it  occupied 
ground  once  held  by  extra-mural  potteries." 
"  Speaking  of  potteries  reminds  me,  madam," 
said  Montmorency,  "  of  the  principal  object  I 
had  in  seeking  an  interview  with  your  ma- 
jesty. Among  the  workmen  I  have  employed 
at  Ecouen,  there  is  a  mechanic  who  evinces  a 
surprising  genius  in  the  art  of  painting  on 
glass,  and  who  has  invented  an  enamelled 
earthenware  of  great  beauty.  I  know  of 
none   equal  to   him  in   skill,   and,  in   fact,  I 


PALISSY   THE   HUGUENOT   POTTER.  177 


cannot  supply  his  place  should  he  be  sacri- 
ficed."  "  You  should  not  allow  so  great  a 
treasure  to  slip  through  your  hands.  What 
danger  threatens  him?"  "  He  is  a  Huguenot, 
madam,"  was  the  reply.  "  No  matter,"  said 
the  queen,  laughing,  "  his  heresy  won't  altei 
the  hues  of  his  glass  or  pottery-ware."  "May; 
but  he  has  fallen  into  the  hands  of  Nogeret. 
one  of  the  royalist  leaders  in  Saintonge,  and 
will  infallibly  be  hanged  or  burned,  and  serve 
him  right,  as  I  should  say,  for  a  heretic  knave, 
but  that  my  work  is  incomplete,  and  that 
Master  Palissy  is  a  rare  workman.  Such  skill. 
too,  as  he  shows  in  designing,  and  in  the 
adorning  of  gardens  !  In  short,  he  is  pre- 
cisely the  man  whom  your  majesty  would  find 
invaluable  in  the  works  you  have  now  in 
prospect." 

Queen  Catherine  was  by  no  means  unwill- 
ing, in  so  trifling  a  matter,  to  oblige  the 
great  constable ;  besides  that,  she  had  a 
taste  for  the  patronage  of  clever  artists, 
and  knew  too  well  the  difficulty  of  procur- 
12 


178  PALISSY   THE    HUGUENOT   POTTER. 


ing  such  a  one  as  had  been  described,  to 
turn  a  deaf  ear  to  the  hint  thrown  out  by 
Montmorency.  "  Let  an  edict  be  issued,  in 
the  king's  name."  she  said,  "  appointing  this 
Pah'ssy  workman  in  earth  to  his  majesty. 
He  will  then,  as  a  servant  of  the  king,  be 
removed  from  the  jurisdiction  of  Bordeaux, 
and  his  cause  can  come  under  no  other 
cognizance  than  that  of  the  grand  council.'- 
Montmorency  expressed  his  gratitude,  and 
rose  to  depart,  when  the  queen  carelessly 
remarked,  "  That  was  a  blundering  affair  of 
M,  do  Guise  at  Yassy ;  it  drove  the  Protest- 
ants to  such  extreme  measures  that  the 
game  of  moderation  was  at  an  end."  The 
constable  made  no  reply,  save  to  shrug  his 
shoulders ;  but  the  young  king  uttored  i  ho 
following  impromptu,  which  history  \  ds 
preserved :  — 

"  Frangois  premier,  pr^dit  ce  point, 
Que  ceux  de  la  maisun  de  Guise 
Mettraient  ses  enfants  en  pourpoint 
Et  son  pauvre  peuple  en  chemise."  • 

•  "  Francis  the  First  has  plainly  foretold. 
That  they  of  tlie  liousohuld  of  Guise 
Would  clothe  their  children  in  purple  ami  gold. 
But  the  poor  folk  only  in  frieze  " 


PALISSY   THE    HUGUENOT    POTTER.  179 


Catherine  looked  disconcerted  at  this  un- 
expected  jeu  de  mot  of  her  son,  and  rising 
somewhat  hastily,  stepped  across  the  room, 
and  taking  the  arm  of  Charles,  bowed  grace- 
fully to  the  constable,  and  withdrew. 

The  result  of  this  colloquy  was  that,  in 
as  short  a  time  as  the  royal  post  could  con- 
vey the  letter  of  M.  de  Montmorency  to 
Bordeaux,  Palissy  was  released  from  the 
power  of  his  enemies,  and  being  thoroughly 
protected  from  the  hostilities  of  the  bel- 
ligerents on  either  side,  returned  to  Saintes, 
and  resumed  his  place  in  the  dilapidated 
workshop,  whose  broken  doors  bore  sor- 
rowful witness  to  the  ravages  of  civil  strife. 
Alas  !  it  was  now  a  very  diflferent  home,  for 
the  town  was  half  depopulated ;  the  best  of 
the  inhabitants  had  fled  or  been  slaughtered 
In  the  streets,  churches  had  been  battered, 
and  rude  hands  had  wrought  destruction 
everywhere.  But  nothing  seems  to  have 
shaken  the  equilibrium  of  his  spirit,  and  he 
oould   say,  with  St.    Paul,   "  I   have  learned, 


180  PALISST   THE   HUGUENOT   POTTER. 


in  whatsoever  state  I  am,  therewith  to  be 
content."  It  is  evident  that  he  had  attained 
to  that  fortitude  and  equanimity,  that  happy 
confidence  of  spirit  which  so  substantially 
realizes  the  truth  of  the  Divine  promise  — 
"  Thou  wilt  keep  him  in  perfect  peace  whose 
mind  is  stayed  on  thee,  because  he  trust- 
eth  in  thee:"  the  solid  reality,  this,  of  what 
the  ancient  sages  did  but  dream  about,  and 
of  which  they  sweetly  sang,  as  in  the  famous 
ode  of  Horace  — 

"  The  man  of  strong  resolve  and  just  design, 
When,  for  bad  ends,  infuriate  mobs  combine. 
Or  gleams  the  terror  of  the  monarch's  frown, 
Firm,  in  his  rock-based  worth,  on  both  looks  down."  * 

Bernard  was  now  at  leisure  to  renew  the 
past,  and  he  availed  himself  of  the  opportu- 
nity to  complete  his  little  book,  which  we 
have  seen  so  busily  absorbing  his  thoughts 
when  be  was  captive  within  the  walls  of 
his  prison.     He  bethought  him  again  of  the 

•  '•  Justum  et  tenacem  propositi  virum 
Non  civium  ardor  prava  jubentiam, 
Non  vultus  instantis  tyranni 
Mente  quatit  solida,    .     -    • 


PALISSY   THE   HUGUENOT   POTTER,  181 


beautiful  garden,  and  he  tells  how,  one  day 
(when  peace  was  for  a  season  restored,)  as 
he  was  walking  through  the  meadows  of  the 
town,  near  to  the  river  Charente,  contem- 
plating the  horrible  dangers  from  which  God 
had  delivered  him  in  the  past  time  of  tumult 
and  trouble,  he  heard  once  more  the  sounds 
which  had  so  delighted  him  before  those 
evil  days.  "It  was  the  voice  of  certain 
maidens,  who  were  seated  under  the  shade 
of  the  trees,  and  sang  together  the  104:th 
Psalm;  and,  because  their  voice  was  soft, 
and  exceedingly  harmonious,  it  caused  me 
to  forget  my  first  thought,  and  having 
stopped  to  listen,  I  passed  through  the  plea- 
sure of  the  voices,  and  entered  into  con- 
sideration of  the  sense  of  the  said  psalm ; 
and  having  noted  the  points  thereof,  I  was 
filled  with  admiration  of  the  wisdom  of  the 
royal  prophet,  and  said,  'Oh  divine  and  ad- 
mirable bounty  of  God  1  I  would  that  we 
all  held  the  works  of  God's  hands  in  such 
reverence  as  he  teaches  us  in  this   psalm ; 


182  PALISSY   THE   HUGUENOT   POTTER. 


and  then  I  thought  I  would  figure  in  some 
large  picture  the  beautiful  landscapes  which 
are  therein  described ;  but,  by-an-by,  con- 
sidering that  pictures  are  of  short  duration, 
I  turned  my  thoughts  to  the  building  of  a 
garden,  according  to  the  design,  ornament, 
and  excellent  beauty,  or  part  thereof,  which 
the  psalmist  has  depicted;  and  having  already 
figured  in  my  mind  the  said  garden,  I  found 
that  I  could,  in  accordance  with  my  plan, 
build,  near  thereto,  a  palace,  or  amphithe- 
atre of  refuge,  that  might  be  a  holy  delecta- 
tion and  an  honorable  occupation  tor  the 
mind  and  body." 


CHAPTER    II. 

"  A  man's  heart  deviseth  his  way ;  but  the  Lord  directeth 
his  steps." — Pbot£bbs  xvi.  9. 

Victor  and  Bernard  were  now  more  closely 
united  to  each  other  in  bonds  of  loving  fel- 
lowship than  ever.  With  thankful  joy  they 
embraced  the  opportunity  once  more  given 
them  of  taking  sweet  counsel  together,  with- 
out fear  of  those  rude  alarms  they  had  so 
recently  experienced.  They  could,  indeed, 
no  longer  meet  with  their  brethren  in  church 
communion,  for  alas !  the  members  of  that 
once  flourishing  flock  were  scattered,  and  the 
voice  of  their  honored  pastor  was  hushed  in 
death ;  but  they  two  met,  as  of  old,  to  unite 
in  the  sacred  exercises  of  devotion.  But  few 
evenings  passed  without  some  words  of  loving 
intercourse,  generally  closed  with  prayer  and 
thanksgiving. 

On  one  of  these  occasions,  Victor,  coming 

183 


i84  PALISSY   THE    HUGUENOT    POTTEH, 

m,  found  his  friend  engaged  m  studying  the 
formation  of  a  shell,  which  he  was  turning 
round  and  diligently  examining.  "  1  thought 
better  not  interrupt  your  cogitations  the  other 
day,"  said  he  ;  "  you  were  walking  like  a  man 
absent  in  mind,  having  your  head  bowed 
down,  and  noticing  nothing  around  you.  I 
passed  so  near  in  the  road,  I  could  have 
touched  the  lappets. of  your  coat,  but  you 
saw  me  not."  "  Nay,  I  saw  you  not,  my 
friend,  for  my  spirit  was  engrossed  because 
of  my  interest  regarding  the  matter  of  some 
town  or  fortress  which  might  ^'erve  as  a  place 
of  refuge  for  exiled  Christians.  Having  vainly 
sought  among  the  plans  and  figures  of  archi- 
tects and  designers  for  what  might  assist  me, 
I  have  been  fain  to  wander  among  the  woods 
and  mountains,  to  see  whether  I  could  find 
some  industrious  animal  which  might  give  me 
a  hint  for  my  design ;  and,  indeed,  I  saw  a 
vast  number  of  them,  which  caused  me  aston- 
ishment at  the  great  industry  God  has  given 
them ;  and  I  have  had  frequent  occasion  ^c 


PALISSY   THE    HUGUENOT    POTTER.  185 


glorify  him  in  all  his  marvels  ;  and  from  one 
and  another  have  gained  some  little  aid  to  my 
affairs ;  at  the  least,  I  have  been  encouraged 
to  hope  I  might  eventually  succeed.  Having 
employed  many  weeks  thus,  during  my  hours 
of  leisure,  I  at  length  bethought  me  of  visit- 
ing the  shore  and  rocks  of  the  ocean,  where 
I  perceived  so  man}'^  diverse  kinds  of  dwellings 
and  fortresses,  which  sundry  little  fish  had 
made  with  their  own  liquor  or  saliva,  that  I 
began  to  think  I  might  discover  here  what  I 
was  searching  for.  So  I  contemplated  all  the 
different  sorts  of  fish,  beginning  from  the  least 
to  the  greatest,  and  I  found  things  which 
made  me  all  abashed,  because  of  the  amazing 
goodness  of  Divine  Providence,  which  had 
bestowed  such  care  upon  these  creatures.  I 
perceived,  also,  that  the  battles  and  strata- 
gems of  the  sea,  were,  without  comparison, 
greater  in  the  said  animals  than  in  those  of 
the  earth,  and  saw  that  the  luxury  of  the  sea 
was  greater  than  that  of  the  earth,  and  that 
without  comparison,  it  produced  more  fruit." 


186  PALISSy   THE   HUGUENOT   POTTER. 


"  You  surprise  me,"  said  Victor,  "  that  you 
still  retain  this  desire ;  for  I  would  gladly 
hope  and  believe  that  there  will  be  no  need 
of  such  a  thing.  Consider  that  we  have  now 
peace,  and  also  we  hope  there  will  shortly  be 
liberty  of  preaching  through  all  France ;  and 
not  only  in  our  own  land,  but  throughout  all 
the  world ;  for  it  is  written  so  in  St.  Matthew, 
chapter  xxiv.,  where  the  Lord  God  says,  that 
'  the  gospel  of  the  kingdom  shall  be  preached 
in  all  the  world  for  a  witness  unto  all  nations.' 
That  is  what  causes  me  to  say  there  is  no 
longer  need  to  seek  out  cities  of  refuge  for 
the  Christians." 

"  You  have  not  duly  considered  other  say- 
ings of  the  New  Testament,"  replied  Palissy, 
"  for  it  is  written  that  the  children  and  elect 
of  God  shall  be  persecuted  to  the  end,  hunted, 
mocked,  banished,  and  exiled.  It  is  true  St. 
Matthew  says  that  the  gospel  of  the  kingdom 
ehall  be  preached  unto  all  the  world ;  but  not 
that  it  shall  be  received  of  all ;  only,  it  shall 
be  a  witness  unto  all ;  that  is  to  justify  those 


PALISST   THE   flUGOEAOT   POTTER.  1«7 


who  believe,  and  to  condemn  righteously  the 
unbelieving.  In  consequence,  it  is  to  be  con- 
cluded that  the  perverse  and  iniquitous,  the 
avaricious,  and  all  kinds  of  wicked  people 
will  be  at  all  times  ready  to  persecute  those 
who,  by  straight  roads,  shall  follow  the  stat- 
utes and  ordinances  of  our  Lord." 

The  amiable  Victor,  yielding  to  his  friend's 
superior  judgment,  did  not  contest  his  opinion; 
but  contented  himself  with  asking  whether  he 
had  succeeded  at  length  in  the  object  of  his 
search.  "  I  seem  to  myself  to  have  done  so. 
Look  at  this  shell ;  it  was  given  me  the  other 
day  when  I  was  at  Rochelle,  by  a  citizen 
there,  named  L'Hermite.  It  is  that  of  a  pur- 
ple murex ;  and  yonder  larger  one  on  the 
desk  is  a  conch.  They  were  brought  from 
Guinea ;  and  are  both  made  in  the  manner  of 
a  snail,  with  spiral  lines  ;  but  that  of  the 
conch  is  stronger  and  larger  than  the  other. 
Now,  the  result  of  my  observation  of  these 
things  is,  that  God  has  bestowed  more  in- 
dustry upon  the  weak  creatures  than  on  the 


188  FAL1S8Y    TUB     H(".MTi<'N'»T    POTTES. 


strong;  and  has  given  tliem  skill  to  kno^ 
how  to  make  each  for  himself  a  house,  con 
structed  on  such  a  system  of  geometry  and 
architecture  that  never  Solomon,  in  all  hia 
wisdom,  could  have  made  the  like.  Con- 
sidering, therefore,  this  proposition,  I  stayed 
to  contemplate  more  closely  the  shell  of  the 
purple  murex,  because  I  assured  myself  that 
God  had  given  to  it  something  more,  to 
make  compensation  for  its  weakness ;  and  so, 
having  dwelt  long  upon  these  thoughts,  I  no- 
ticed that,  in  the  shell  of  the  murex,  there 
were  a  number  of  tolerably  large  projections, 
by  which  it  is  surrounded."  "  I  see  what 
you  mean  ;  they  add  greatly  to  its  beauty  and 
ornament."  ''Do  you  think  that  is  all?  No, 
no  ;  there  is  something  more.  These  are  so 
many  bulwarks  and  defences  for  the  fortress 
and  refuge  of  the  inhabitant  of  the  shell. 
Now,  seeing  this,  I  resolved  to  take  example 
from  it,  for  the  building  of  my  fortified  town, 
and  I  took  straightway  a  compass,  rule,  and 
the  other  tools,  necessary  for  the  making  of 
my  picture." 


PALISSY   THE   HUGUENOT   POTTEE.  189 


Bernard  then  produced  the  plan  he  had 
drawn,  which  he  described  at  length  in  his 
little  book.  As  a  curiosity  and  specimen  of 
ingenuity,  this  idea  of  his  is  exceedingly  in- 
teresting, and  it  shows  another  of  the  numer 
0U8  subjects  on  which  his  busy  wits  were 
exercised,  and  shows,  too,  how  thoroughly 
his  love  of  nature  governed  all  his  othei 
thoughts.  Who,  but  an  enthusiast  in  that 
delightful  study,  would  have  had  recourse  to 
the  nests  of  birds,  and  the  shells  of  the  nea, 
when  he  wished  to  plan  a  fortress  that  would 
resist"  the  utmost  fury  of  a  siege  ? 

At  length  his  book  was  completed,  and 
printed  at  Rochelle,  in  the  year  1563,  the  one 
succeeding  that  of  his  imprisonment.  He 
prefixed  to  it  three  letters,  written  after  his 
release,  addressed  to  the  constable,  to  his  son, 
the  marshal  Montmorency,  and  to  the  queen 
mother.  Having  rendered  his  grateful  ac- 
knowledgments to  these  illustrious  patrons, 
he  proceeded  to  relate  the  particulars  of  the 
ill-usage   he    had   received,   desiring  that    it 


190  PALISSY   THE    HUGUENOT     POTTER. 


might  be  understood  that  he  was  "  not  ino^ 
prisoned  as  a  thief  or  a  murderer."  He  then 
went  on  to  explain  the  subjects  of  which  his 
work  treated,  and  showed  that  they  were,  in 
themselves,  worthy  of  attention,  although  not 
couched  in  learned  language,  "  seeing,"  he 
said,  "  I  am  not  Greek  nor  Hebrew,  poet  nor 
rhetorician,  but  a  simple  artisan,  poorly 
enough  trained  in  letters.  Notwithstanding. 
these  things  are  no  less  valuable  than  if 
uttered  by  one  more  eloquent.  I  had  rather 
speak  truth  in  my  rustic  tongue,  than  lie  in 
rhetoric ;  therefore  I  hope  you  will  receive 
this  small  work  with  as  ready  a  will  as  I 
have  desire  that  it  shall  give  you  pleasure." 
In  his  address  to  queen  Catherine,  he  hinted 
at  his  readiness  to  be  employed  in  her  ser- 
vice, and  at  his  ability  to  assist  much  in  her 
building  work  and  gardens.  Nor  was  it  long 
before  he  had  an  opportunity  to  exercise  his 
skill.  Through  the  medium  of  his  excellent 
friends,  the  Sire  de  Pons  and  his  lady,  he 
received  the  tidings  that  he  had  been  chosen. 


PALI8SY   THE    HUGUENOT    POTTER.  191 


m  company  with  Jean  Bullant,  bis  co-worker 

at  the  chateau  d'Ecouen,  to  assist  in  the  new 

works  commenced  Ly  the  queen  mother.    His 

removal  to  Paris  would    follow,  as  a   matter 

of  course.     "  Indeed,"  said  the  Sire  de  Pons, 

"  it    is  time,   Master  Bernard,  that    you    left 

Saintes,   for    many   reasons.      Your   position 

here    is    cramped   and    inconvenient.      Your 

enemies  are  but  muzzled  —  not  removed  out 

of  the   way.      Your    principal    patrons    are 

great   men,    necessarily  much   in    attendance 

upon  the    court;  and    in  a  remote  province 

you  can    neither  receive,  nor  execute,  their 

commands.     In  Paris  your  advantages  will  be 

great.     You  will  live  in  constant  intercourse 

with  men  of  genius,  and   your  taste  will   be 

perfected  by  the  study  of  the  choicest  works 

of  art  collected  in  the  capital."     "  Your  sons, 

too,   Nicole    and    Mathurin,  are    now   young 

men,   for  whom   employment  and   patronago 

will   be    thus  secured,"   said   Madame  ;  "  and 

though  we    shall   be  sorry  to    lose  you,  we 

cannot  be  selfish  enough  to  regret  an  event 


192         PALISSY   THE    HUGUENOT    POTTER. 


BO  fortunate  for  yourself  and  your  family.'* 
"  I  had  not  thought/'  said  Bernard,  "  to  be 
thus  distinguished.  It  is,  doubtless,  the  good 
word  of  my  lord,  the  constable,  which  has 
gained  me  this  appointment.  I  am  resolved, 
according  to  the  ability  I  possess,  to  do  credit 
to  his  patronage.  And  this  I  may  say,  that 
the  work  which  I  have  wrought  for  him  gives 
witness  enough  of  the  gift  which  God  has 
been  pleased  to  bestow  on  me  as  an  artist  in 
earth.  I  am,  therefore,  not  without  hope  that 
my  work  may  prove  acceptable  in  that  place 
to  which  his  providence  now  calleth  me." 
"  It  18  our  purpose  to  journey  before  long  to 
Paris,"  said  the  Sire,  "  and  you  can,  if  you 
think  fit,  accompany  us.  The  time  is  but 
short,  ten  days  or  a  fortnight,  at  the  utmost ; 
but,  I  doubt  not,  you  will  be  in  readiness." 

This  friendly  proposal  was  gracefully  ac- 
cepted, and,  at  the  time  appointed,  Palissy 
bade  farewell  to  Saintes,  and,  accompanied 
by  his  two  sons,  set  ofi"  for  the  French  capi- 
tal, which  was  thenceforward  to  be  his  place 


PALISSy  THE    HUGUENOT    POTTER.  193 


of  residence.  It  was  with  a  full  heart  that 
he  left  the  city  which  had  been,  for  so  many 
years,  his  home ;  where  his  children  had 
been  born,  and  where  he  had  served  his 
long  apprenticeship  of  sorrow  and  trial,  and 
eventually  triumphed  over  all  the  obstacles 
that  threatened  to  overwhelm  him,  and  to 
bhght  his  fond  expectations.  As  he  re- 
turned, the  evening  before  his  departure, 
from  visiting  the  graves  of  his  wife  and 
their  six  little  ones,  while  meditating,  and 
slowly  and  pensively  moving  onward,  he 
was  overtaken  by  Victor,  who  had  gone  in 
search  of  him,  anxious  to  spend  the  last  few 
hours  in  his  company.  They  returned  to- 
gether, and  Victor  announced  to  his  friend 
a  most  unexpected  piece  of  tidings.  "  I 
shall  not  remain  here  long  after  you  have 
gone,"  he  exclaimed,  with  unwonted  energy, 
his  pale  face  flushed  and  eager.  "  A  kins- 
man of  mine  has  this  very  afternoon  brought 
me  a  communication  which  will  lead  to  my 
removal  hence,  probably  within  a  few  months. 
13 


194  PALISSY    THE    HUGUENOT    POTTER. 


Had  you  not  been  leaving  I  should  have  felt 
it  a  grief  indeed,  but  now,  it  is  well;  for  I 
could  scarcely  have  borne  your  loss."  '^hat 
has  befallen,  and  where  will  you  go?"  asked 
Bernard,  in  his  quick  manner.  "  My  eldest 
brother  was  killed  (as  you  know)  last  year, 
in  one  of  the  muderous  assaults  upon  those 
of  our  religion.  He  has  left  a  young  fam- 
ily, and  his  poor  wife,  who  has  never  recov- 
ered the  shock  of  his  death,  is  now  sinking 
rapidly.  She  entreats  me,  through  the  kins- 
man she  has  sent,  to  go  back  to  my  native 
place,  and  to  undertake  the  care  of  my  bro- 
ther's children.  They  will  inherit  the  small 
property  which  was  our  father's,  and  which 
would,  in  all  probability,  be  soon  dissipated 
in  the  hands  of  strangers.  I  have  myself 
no  family ;  and  my  wife,  loving  soul,  will  be 
a  true  mother  to  these  poor  orphans.  It 
seems  the  voice  of  our  heavenly  Father, 
which  is  saying  to  us,  *  Arise,  and  go  hence.' " 
"  I  have  never  heard  you  speak  of  your  early 
days,  Victor."      "  True  ;  I  was   thinking,   an 


PALIS8Y   THE    fiUGUENOT    POTTER.  195 


1  came  hither,  of  my  boyhood.  Happy  time 
and  happy  household  ours,  where  comfort 
and  content  reigned  I  The  property  on 
which  we  all  subsisted  was  very  small;  but 
order,  domestic  arrangement,  labor  and  fru- 
gality, kept  us  above  want.  Our  little  gar- 
den produced  nearly  as  many  vegetables  as 
we  required,  and  the  orchard  yielded  us 
fruits.  Our  quinces,  apples,  and  pears,  pre- 
served, with  the  honey  of  our  bees,  were, 
in  winter,  most  excellent  breakfasts  for  us 
children,  and  the  good  old  women,  our  grand- 
mother and  aunts.  We  were  all  clothed  by 
the  small  flock  that  pastured  on  the  neigh- 
boring hills  ;  my  aunts  spun  the  wool ;  and 
the  hemp  of  the  field  furnished  us  with  linen. 
In  the  evenings,  by  the  light  of  our  lamp, 
which  was  fed  with  oil  from  our  walnut  trees, 
the  young  people  of  the  neighborhood  came 
to  help  us  to  dress  our  flax,  and  we,  in  our 
turn,  did  the  same  for  them.  The  harvest 
of  the  little  farm  sufficed  for  our  subsist- 
ence.      Our     buck-wheat     cakes,    moistened. 


196  PALISSY   THE    HUGUENOT    POTTER. 


smoking  hot,  with  the  good  butter  of  Mont 
d'Or,  was  a  delicious  treat  to  us.  I  know 
not  what  dish  we  should  have  relished  bet- 
ter than  our  turnips  and  chestnuts.  When 
we  sat,  on  a  winter  evening,  round  the  fire, 
and  saw  these  fine  turnips  roasting,  and 
heard  the  water  boiling  in  the  vase  where 
our  chestnuts  were  cooking  so  sweet  and 
nice,  our  mouths  watered ;  and  the  grand- 
mother, delighted  with  our  childish  pleasure, 
added,  now  and  then,  to  the  feast,  a  quince, 
whose  delicious  perfume,  while  roasting  un- 
der the  ashes,  I  still  remember.  Dear,  kind 
old  dame !  She,  with  all  her  frugality  and 
moderation,  nevertheless  made  little  gluttons 
of  us  boys.  Ah  !  my  friend  ;  it  is  the  women 
who  begin  it  from  our  cradle,  and  go  on  fond- 
ling and  humoring  us  to  the  grave.  So,  you 
Bee,  we  had  enough  to  satisfy  all  our  wants, 
for,  in  our  household,  if  there  were  little  to 
expend,  there  was  nothing  lost,  and  trifling 
things  united,  made  plenty.  In  the  neigh- 
boring forest,  too,  there  was  abundance  of 
dead   wood,   of  small    value,   and   there   my 


PALISSY   THE     HUGUENOT     POTTER.  197 


father  was  permitted  to  take  his  annual  pro- 
vision. Dear  and  honored  father  !  He  ruled 
us  all,  in  the  fear  of  the  Lord;  and  the 
crowning  bliss  of  my  life  it  has  ever  been 
to  come  before  God  and  plead,  '  Thou  wast 
my  father's  God ;  be  thou  also  my  God.'  " 

How  much  longer  Victor  would  have  in- 
dulged in  these  fond  memories,  cannot  be 
told.  He  was  interrupted  by  the  entrance 
of  some  neighbors  who  came  to  take  leave 
of  Palissy  and  his  sons,  and  when  they  had 
departed,  the  hour  was  late.  The  two  friends 
bent  the  knee  together  in  prayer  at  the 
throne  of  heavenly  grace,  and  commended 
each  other  to  the  Divine  protection  and 
favor.  Victor  then  arose  and  departed  ;  but, 
on  the  threshold,  he  paused,  and  looking  fix- 
edly on  his  friend,  his  eyes  filled  with  tears, 
as  he  grasped  his  hand,  and  said,  "  Yes,  God 
is  a  sweet  consolation."  And,  with  these 
words,  he  turned  away  and  was  gone. 

How  often,  in  after  years,  did  this  fare- 
well recur  to  the  mind  of  Bernard,  with 
sweet  and  consolatory  power. 


CHAPTER    III. 

**  And  I  saw  the  woman  drunken  with  the  blood  of  the 
saints,  and  with  the  blood  of  the  fnartyrs  of  Jesus;  and 
when  I  saw  her  I  wondered  with  great  admiration." 

Rev.  ivii.  6. 

The  present  chapter  will  embrace  the  his- 
tory of  ten  years  in  the  life  of  Palissy  — 
years  full  of  terrible  interest  to  France, 
during  which  there  were  two  more  bursts 
of  civil  war,  with  intervals  of  peace  between, 
and  followed  by  that  event  of  world-wide  re- 
nown in  the  annals  of  crime  and  blood,  the 
massacre  of  St.  Bartholomew.  During  those 
years  Bernard  was  quietly  and  laboriously 
engaged,  protected  from  harm  by  the  patron- 
age of  the  court,  and,  probably  also,  having 
learned  from  experience  the  necessity  of  a 
prudent  restraint  in  the  utterance  of  his 
opinions.  Arrived  at  Paris,  he  established 
his   workshop  in   a  place   allotted  to  him  ill 

198 


PALISSY    THE    HUGUENOT     POTTER.  199 


the  precincts  of  the  Tuileries,  and  the  gar. 
dens  that  partly  occupied  the  site  of  the  new 
palace,  and  surrounded  by  the  debris  of 
buildings  that  had  to  be  removed,  and  the 
scaffolding  of  workmen  who  were  engaged 
about  the  new  erections.  At  no  groat  dis- 
tance was  thti  Louvre  itself,  then  a  new 
structure,  and  the  royal  residence;  and  queen 
Catherine,  attended  by  her  courtiers,  fre- 
quently went  to  watch  the  progress  of  the 
buildings,  and  to  direct,  with  her  admirable 
taste,  the  works  of  Palissy,  famiharly  known 
as  "Master  Bernard,  of  the  Tuileries."  There 
is  still  in  existence,  in  the  royal  library  at 
Paris,  a  MS.,  containing  an  account  of  the 
queen's  expenditures,  dated  1570,  among 
which  is  a  note  of  payment  to  "  Bernard, 
Nicole,  and  Mathurin  Palissy,  sculptors  in 
earth,  for  the  sum  of  2,600  livres,  for  all 
the  works  in  earth,  baked  and  enamelled, 
which  have  yet  to  be  made  to  complete  the 
quatre  pans  au  pourtour,  (the  four  parts  of 
the  circumference)  of  the  grotto  commenced 


200         PALISSY   THE    HUGUENOT    POTTER. 


by  the  queen,  in  her  palace,  near  the  Louvr*^ 
at  Paris,  according  to  the  agreement  made 
with  them." 

We  are  told  that  his  taste  being  improved 
by  the  study  of  the  great  works  of  Italian 
art,  he  became  a  more  consummate  artist, 
and  produced  master-pieces,  far  surpassing 
his  former  efforts.  He  found,  also,  much 
employment  in  garden  architecture,  then 
greatly  in  vogue,  and  for  which  his  larger 
pieces,  rocks,  trees,  animals,  and  even  human 
figures,  were  designed.  A  few  only  of  these 
have  withstood  the  accidents  of  time,  but  it 
is  known  they  adorned  some  of  the  sump- 
tuous residences  of  the  French  nobles  in 
that  day,  especially  the  chateau  of  Chaulnes, 
that  of  Nesles,  in  Picardy,  and  of  Reux,  in 
Normandy.  His  smaller  productions,  de- 
signed to  ornament  rooms,  and  to  find  a 
place  in  the  buffets  and  cabinets  of  the 
wealthy,  were  very  numerous ;  and  such  as 
have  been  preserved  are  highly  valued,  as 
works  of  art,  at  the  present  time.  Htatu- 
Qttes,  elegant  groups,  ewers,  vases,  with  gro- 


PALISSY   THE    HUGUENOT    POTTER.         201 


tesqne  ornaments,  plates,  rustic  basins,  cups^ 
tiles  for  the  walls  and  floors  of  mansions, 
as  well  as  for  the  stoves  used  on  the  con- 
tinent ;  all  these,  and  many  similar  articles, 
were  made  in  great  perfection  by  our  skil- 
ful artist.*     Working  thus,  with  busy  hands 

*The  master-pieces  of  Palissy  adorn  the  private  collec- 
tions of  the  wealthy  and  noble  continental  amateurs  Mr 
Marryatt,  in  his  History  of  Pottery,  says,  the  most  exten 
eive  and  complete  collection  of  his  Fayence  crockery  exista 
in  the  Mus^e  Royale,  in  the  Louvre,  and  in  the  Hotel  de 
Cluny;  purchased  since  the  death  of  its  late  proprietor,  M. 
de  Sommerard,  by  the  French  government.  "  These  mag- 
nificent specimens,"  he  says,  "  have  been  eagerly  bought 
up,  from  a  just  appreciation  of  the  merits  of  their  talented 
and  much  persecuted  countryman."  Mr.  M.  gives  the  fol- 
lowing description  of  the  Fayence  of  Palissy.  "  It  is  char- 
acterised by  a  peculiar  style  and  many  singular  qualities. 
The  forms  of  his  figures  are  generally  chaste.  The  orna- 
ments, the  historical,  mythological,  and  allegorical  subjects, 
are  in  relief  and  colored.  The  colors  are  generally  bright, 
but  not  much  varied,  being  usually  confined  to  yellows, 
blues,  and  greys,  though  sometimes  extending  to  green, 
violet,  and  brown.  The  enamel  is  hard,  but  the  glaze  is 
not  so  good  as  that  of  Delft,  and  he  never  succeeded  in 
attaining  the  purity  of  the  white  enamel  of  Luca  dell  a 
Robbia.  •'  '*  At  a  sale  at  Phillip's,  of  Palissy  ware,  belong- 
ing to  M.  Roussel,  of  Paris,"  it  is  added,  "  an  extraordinary 
large  vase,  enriched  with  boys  in  relief,  supporting  flowers 
and  fruit  in  festoons,  with  masked  heads,  on  a  fine  blue 
ground,  and  snake  handles,  sold  for  £57  158.  A  very 
curious  candlestick,  with  perforated  work  and  beads  io 
relief,  sold  for  £20." 


202  PALISSY    THE     HUGUENOT     POTTER. 


and  inventive  skill,  Palissy  saw  the  years 
pass  by,  and  beheld  strange  scenes,  far  ex- 
ceeding in  fearful  interest  all  he  had  for- 
merly witnessed. 

He  spoke  from  experience  when  he  said, 
"  If  you  had  seen  the  horrible  excesses  of 
men  that  I  have  seen,  during  these  troubles, 
not  a  hair  of  your  head  but  would  have 
trembled  at  the  fear  of  falling  to  the  mercy 
of  men's  malice ;  and  he  who  has  not  beheld 
such  things  could  never  think  how  great  and 
fearful  a  persecution  is."  He  had  scarcely 
become  settled  in  his  new  occupation  when 
the  "  Second  Troubles  "  broke  out ;  and  one 
of  the  first  victims  of  the  war  was  his  great 
patron,  the  constable  Montmorency.  Upon 
the  10th  of  November,  1567,  the  battle  of  St. 
Denys  was  fought  outside  the  walls  of  Paris, 
when  the  aged  constable,  at  the  head  of  his 
army,  in  fine  array,  with  colors  flying  and 
drums  beating,  marched  out  to  meet  the  foe. 
The  heights  of  Montmartre  presented,  on  that 
occasion,   a   strange    spectacle.     They   were 


PALISSY   THE    HUGUENOT    POTTER.  203 


crowded  with  eager  spectators,  in  the  highest 
excitement ;  all  the  busy,  restless  population 
of  the  great  city  flocking  there,  to  gaze  upon 
the  scene  of  warfare.  Priests  chanting  lit- 
anies, and  distributing  chaplets  to  the  war- 
riors, foreign  ambassadors,  fair  ladies  dressed 
as  Amazons,  some  even  carrying  lances,  which 
they  vibrated  in  the  air,  and  magistrates  and 
doctors,  wearing  cuirasses  beneath  their 
robes:  a  motley  crowd  of  every  rank  and 
condition  huddled  together,  with  mingled 
curiosity  and  terror,  waiting  the  result  of  the 
fight. 

The  short  winter's  day  was  closing  fast 
when  the  battle  commenced,  and  an  hour  of 
bloody  strife  followed.  The  result  was  fatal 
to  the  gallant  old  veteran,  whose  resolution 
and  bravery  led  him  to  push  forward  into 
the  midst  of  the  Huguenot  ranks.  Five 
times  was  he  wounded,  yet  still  fought  on, 
and  then  received  the  mortal  stroke,  and  was 
left,  stretched,  amid  the  dead  and  dying,  on 
the  field.     Still  living,  though  suffering  deadly 


204         PALISSY   THE    HUGUENOT    POTTEK. 


agony,  he  was  borue  back  within  those  wallg 
he  had  left  in  so  different  a  manner  but  a  few 
hours  before.  The  night  was  dark  and  rainy 
his  pains  were  grievous,  and  he  desired  to 
breathe  his  last  where  he  lay ;  but  those 
around  entreated  that  he  would  suflfer  himself 
to  be  carried  to  Paris,  where  he  died  on  the 
following  day,  preserving  to  the  last  a  sur- 
prising fortitude  and  endurance. 

The  court  ordered  a  magnificent  funeral 
for  the  grim  old  warrior,  whose  rugged  and 
austere  manners  had  rendered  him  so  ob. 
noxious  to  many,  and  whose  religious  bigotry 
was  but  too  much  in  accordance  with  the 
spirit  of  his  times.  At  his  own  request  he 
was  buried  at  his  favorite  estate  at  Ecouen, 
where  Palissy  had  so  long  wrought  in  his 
service.  To  Bernard  he  had  proved  a  gene- 
rous patron  and  a  steady  friend,  and  his  hand 
had  been  outstretched  to  save  him  from  the 
gallows. 

Would  that  this  had  been  done  from  a 
higher  motive  than  the  love  of  art  1  then  he 


FALIS3Y   TflE    HUGUENOT    POTTER.         205 


mignt  one  day  have  been  among  the  number 
of  those  to  whom  shall  be  addressed  the 
joyful  words,  "  Inasmuch  as  ye  have  done  it 
unto  one  of  the  least  of  these  my  brethren, 
ye  have  done  it  unto  me." 

Happily,  it  is  not  necessary  for  this  narra- 
tive to  dwell  upon  the  well-known  story  of 
the  massacre.  Its  fearful  horrors  are  but 
too  familiar  to  every  reader  of  history.  Ber- 
nard escaped  being  an  eye-witness  of  them, 
as  he  happened  to  be  at  the  time  occupied 
about  one  of  those  commissions  to  which  we 
have  alluded,  and  which  had  carried  him  to 
Chaulnes,  where  he  laid  out  the  park  accord- 
ing to  a  plan  resembling  that  he  described  in 
his  "  delectable  garden." 

There  was  one  among  the  numerous  men 
of  science  with  whom  Palissy  associated  who 
narrowly  escaped  destruction.  This  was  Am- 
broise  Pare,  first  surgeon  to  the  king,  who 
seems  to  have  been  a  truly  pious  and  excel- 
lent man.  Having  embraced  the  reformed 
tenets,  he    steadily    adhered    to    them,   and 


206  PALISSY   THE    HUGUENOT    POTTER. 


despite  the  dangers  of  his  situation,  persisted 
in  openly  avowing  his  principles.  As  he 
had  drawn  upon  himself  the  odium  of  heresy, 
and,  in  addition  to  that,  the  rancorous 
jealousy  of  a  host  of  practitioners  in  his  art, 
he  was  a  marked  character ;  and  Charles  IX., 
who  owed  his  life  to  the  skill  of  Pare,  and 
is  said  to  have  "  loved  him  infinitely,"  took 
measures  to  secure  his  safety.  •'  I  will  tell 
you,  my  friend,"  said  he,  describing  that 
eventful  night  to  Bernard,  "  how  it  fared 
with  me,  and  what  I  saw  and  heard.  I  was 
in  attendance  upon  the  admiral*  till  late  into 
the  night,  and  was  on  the  point  of  leaving 
him,  when  one  of  the  royal  hussars  came, 
bringing  a  summons  to  me  to  repair  imme- 
diately to  the  king.  I  obeyed,  and  found 
him  in  evident  trepidation.  As  soon  as  he 
saw  me,  he  exclaimed,  '  It  is  well  that  you 
have  come,  my  dear  Ambroise ;  you  must 
remain  with  me  this  night,  and  in  my  cham- 

•  Coligny,  who  had  been  wounded  by  the  dagger  of  an 

Msassin  only  two  days  before. 


PALISSY   THE    HUGUENOT    POTTER.  207 


ber.'  So  saying,  he  put  me  into  his  dressing 
room,  adding,  '  Be  sure  you  don't  stir  from 
hence.  It  will  never  do  to  have  you,  who 
can  save  our  lives,  massacred  after  this 
fashion.'  My  hiding-place  adjoined  a  saloon 
where  the  king  remained,  and  to  which,  after 
midnight,  the  queen  came,  evidently  for  the 
purpose  of  watching  over  her  son.  Four  of 
the  principal  agitators  were  present,  all  urg- 
ing him  to  preserve  his  courage,  while  his 
mother  endeavored,  by  every  means  in  her 
power,  to  irritate  his  fiercer  passions,  and 
to  silence  his  remorse.  Though  I  could  not 
hear  all  that  passed,  a  few  words  occasionally 
reached  my  ears,  and  the  appearance  of 
Charles,  and  the  words  he  had  spoken  to  me, 
sufficed  to  convince  me  that  a  terrible  crisis 
was  at  hand.  At  length  a  single  pistol-shot 
rang  through  the  silence.  It  was  dayk,  the 
morning  had  not  yet  dawned,  when,  at  that 
signal,  through  the  deep  silence  of  the  night, 
the  tocsin  of  St.  Germain's  was  heard  utter- 
ing its  dreadful  alarum.     The  queen  and  her 


208  PALISSY   THE   HUGUENOT   POTTEft. 


two  sons  came,  with  stealthy  tread,  to  the 
windows  of  the  small  closet  through  the 
king's  chamber,  which  overlooked  the  gate 
of  the  Louvre  ;  and  there  those  three  misera- 
ble and  guilty  beings,  opening  the  window, 
looked  oat,  to  watch  the  first  outbreak  of 
the  dreadful  tragedy.  Presently  shouts  were 
heard  of  '  Vive  Dieu  et  le  Roi,'  and  armed 
men,  issuing  from  the  gates,  trampled  along 
the  causeway,  hastening  to  perform  their 
bloody  work. 

"  About  five  in  the  morning,  I  ventured  to 
quit  the  dressing-room,  and,  eager  to  see 
what  was  passing,  gazed  from  one  of  the 
windows  which  looked  in  the  direction  of 
the  Fauxbourg  St.  Germains,  where  Mont- 
gomery, Rohan,  Pardaillan,  and  many  of  the 
Calvinist  gentlemen  lodged.  As  you  know, 
it  lies  upon  the  opposite  bank  of  the  river 
from  the  Louvre  ;  all  had  hitherto  been  quiet 
in  that  direction,  but  the  sound  of  the  tocsin, 
and  the  cries  and  screams  which  were  heard 
ncross  the  river,  had  roused  the  Huguenots, 


PALISSY    THE    HUGUENOT    POTTER.  209 


who,  suspecting  some  mischief,  hastily  pre- 
pared to  cross  the  water  and  join  their  friends; 
but  as  they  were  about  to  embark,  thsy  saw 
several  boats  filled  with  Swiss  and  French 
guards,  approaching,  who  began  to  fire  upon 
thom.  It  is  said  the  king  himself,  from  his 
closet  window,  was  seen  pointing  and  appa- 
rently directing  their  movements.  They  took 
the  hint  in  time  to  save  their  lives  by  flight. 
They  mounted  their  horses,  and  rode  ofi"  at 
full  speed."  "  Thanks  be  to  God,  they 
escaped,  as  a  bird  from  the  hand  of  the 
fowler.  May  they  live  to  avenge  the  blood 
of  the  saints."  "  I  shall  never  forget,"  con- 
tinued Pare,  "  the  scene,  when  the  broad  light 
of  an  August  day  displayed,  in  all  their  ex- 
tent, the  horrors  which  had  been  committed. 
The  bright,  glowing  sun,  and  the  unclouded 
sky,  and  magnificent  beauty  over-head;  and 
at  our  feet,  the  blood-stained  waters  of  the 
Seine,  and  the  streets  bestrewn  with  mangled 
corpses.  It  was  too  terrible.  To  crown  the 
whole,  it  was  the  holy  Sabbath. 

H 


210  PALISSY    THE    HUGUENOT    POTTER. 


"  Towards  the  evening  of  the  second  day, 
the  king  called  again  for  me.  Sickened  with 
horror  and  remorse,  his  mind  and  spirits  were 
giving  way.  '  Ambroise,'  said  he,  taking  me 
into  his  cabinet,  '  I  don't  know  what  ails  me, 
but  these  last  two  or  three  days,  I  find  both 
mind  and  body  in  great  disorder.  I  see 
nothing  around  me  but  hideous  faces,  covered 
with  blood.  I  wish  the  weak  and  innocent 
had  been  spared.'  I  seized  the  moment  of 
relenting  in  the  unhappy  monarch,  and  urged 
him  to  put  an  immediate  stop  to  the  massacre, 
and  he  did,  in  efiect,  issue  orders  by  sound 
of  trumpet,  forbidding  any  further  violence 
to  be  committed,  upon  pain  of  death."  "Alas!" 
said  Palissy,  "no  hand  was  outstretched  to 
save  our  French  Phidias,  Jean  Goujon,  the 
master  of  my  comrade  and  co-worker,  Bul- 
lant.  He  was  struck  down  on  his  platform, 
while  working  on  the  Caryatides  of  the 
Louvre  ;  with  his  chisel  yet  in  his  hand,  he 
fell  a  corpse  at  the  foot  of  the  marble  his 
genius  was  moulding  into  life."    "  No  power 


PALISSY    THE    HUGUENOT    POTTER.  211 


could  restrain  the  violence  of  the  rabble.  In 
vain  were  the  royal  commands,  and  useless 
every  effort  of  the  bourgeoisie,  and  the  higher 
orders.  Day  after  day  the  barbarous  slaugh- 
ter continued.  Ah  !  my  friend,"  concluded 
Pare,  "  that  fatal  night  will  form  a  black  page 
in  our  history,  which  Frenchmen  will  vainly 
desire  to  erase,  or  to  tear  from  its  records." — 
("  Feuillet  de  notre  histoire  i  arracher,  4 
bruler.") 


CHAPTER    IV. 

"  He  spake  also  of  beasts,  and  of  fowl,  and  of  oreeping 
things,  and  of  fishes."— 1  Kings  iv.  33. 

We  learn  from  his  own  words  that  king 
Solomon,  amid  all  his  magnificence  and  glory, 
found  nothing  truly  satisfying  to  his  spirit. 
He  discovered  that  silver  and  gold,  and 
costly  apparel,  and  singing  men  and  singing 
women,  with  all  the  luxuries  of  the  east, 
sufficed  not  to  give  him  happiness.  They  did 
not  even  keep  him  amused  ;  he  wanted  some- 
thing better.  And  a  purer,  more  refined,  and 
enduring  delight  was  tasted  by  him  when  he 
turned  the  powers  of  his  active  and  inquiring 
mind  to  the  investigation  of  nature,  the  works 
of  God's  hands,  in  the  diversified  and  beauti- 
ful productions  of  the  fields,  woods,  and  lakes 
of  Judea.  He  sought  them  out  diligently, 
and  then  he  "spake  of"  them — spake  of  the 
richly- varied  productions  of  the  animal  king- 

212 


PALISST   THE   HUGUENOT   POTTER.  213 


dom,  and  "  spake  also  of  beasts,  and  of  fowl, 
and  of  creeping  things,  and  of  fishes."  Very 
interesting  it  must  have  been  to  hear  the 
great  Solomon  speaking  of  these  works  of 
God's  hands,  and  no  wonder  the  sacred 
writers  have  recorded  the  fact.  Most  edify- 
ing of  all  to  the  thoughtful  part  of  his  audi- 
ence it  would  be  to  reflect  on  the  moral 
phenomenon  he  himself  presented — taking 
his  refreshment,  his  recreation,  his  pleasure, 
after  the  toils  and  disappointments  of  riches 
and  of  worldly  honors,  in  considering  the 
lilies,  how  they  grew,  and  the  fowls  of  the 
air,  how  God  cared  for  them. 

But  if  Solomon  found,  in  this  pursuit,  a  re- 
lief from  ennui  and  satiety,  how  many,  in  all 
succeeding  times,  have  found  therein  support 
and  consolation  amidst  inevitable  anxieties 
and  painful  trials.  There  have  been  persons 
who  declared  that  it  was  the  study  of  nature 
alone  which  made  their  condition  tolerable, 
by  diverting  their  minds  from  painful  and 
oppressive    thoughts.      It    must    have    been 


214  PALISSY    THE     HUGUENOT    POTTER. 


the  same  experience  which  caused  Palisay, 
amid  the  terrible  scenes  of  his  day,  to  retire 
into  his  cabinet,  or  to  wander  in  the  road- 
side, among  the  fields  and  caves,  searching 
after  "  things  note-worthy  and  monstrous," 
which  he  "  took  from  the  womb  of  the  earth," 
and  placed  among  his  other  treasures,  the 
accumulated  hoard  of  long  years.  We  find 
him  the  same  Bernard  still — unaltered  by 
time  and  change  of  fortune ;  as  simple-minded, 
as  diligent  in  research,  and  as  enthusiastic  in 
utterance  as  at  Saintes,  in  the  days  of  his 
youth.  He  had  found,  too,  some  congenial 
associates  and  friends.  Among  them,  we 
have  seen,  was  Ambroise  Pare,  who  had  a 
great  taste  for  natural  history,  and  himself 
possessed  a  collection  of  valuable  and  curious 
specimens,  especially  of  foreign  birds,  for 
which  he  was  principally  indebted  to  Charles 
IX.,  who  used  to  send  him  many  of  the  rarest 
and  most  valuable  he  obtained,  to  preserve. 

There   was,   too,    one    "  Maistre    Frangoia 
Choisnyn,"  physician  to  the  queen  of  Navarre^ 


PALISSY   THE   HUGUENOT   POTTER.  215 


a  special  favorite  with  Bernard,  of  whom  he 
says — "  His  company  and  visits  were  a  source 
of  great  consolation  to  me."  These  two 
went  a  little  geological  exploration  together, 
in  the  year  1575.  '•'  He  had  heard  me  often 
speak,"  said  Palissy,  "  of  these  matters,  and 
knowing  that  he  was  a  lover  of  the  same,  I 
begged  him  to  accompany  me  to  the  quarries, 
near  St.  Marceau,  that  I  might  give  him 
ocular  proof  of  what  I  had  said  concerning 
petrifactions ;  and  he,  full  of  zeal  in  the  affair, 
immediately  caused  waxen  flambeaux  to  be 
brought,  and  taking  with  him  his  medical 
pupil,  named  Milon,*  we  went  to  a  place  in 
the  said  quarries,  conducted  by  two  quarry- 
men  ;  and  there  we  saw  what  I  had  long 
before  known,  from  the  form  of  stones  shaped 
like  icicles,  having  seen  a  number  of  such 
stones,  which  had  been  brought,  by  command 
of  the  queen  mother,  from  Marseilles ;  also 
among  the  rocks,  on  the  shores  of  the  river 
Loire.     Now,  in   those    quarries,  we  saw  thfl 

*  Afterwards  first  physician  to  Henry  IV. 


216         PALISSY   THE    HUGUENOT    POTTER. 


distilled  water  congeal  in  our  presence,  whict 
set  the  matter  at  rest."  Another  day,  walk, 
ing  with  his  friend,  he  found  himself,  while 
wandering  over  the  fields,  very  thirsty,  and 
passing  by  some  village,  asked  where  he  could 
meet  with  a  good  spring,  in  order  to  refresh 
himself;  but  he  was  told  there  was  no  spring 
in  that  place,  all  their  wells  being  exhausted 
on  account  of  the  drought,  and  that  there 
was  nothing  but  a  little  muddy  water  left  in 
them.  This  caused  him  "  much  vexation," 
and,  expressing  his  surprise  at  the  distress 
sufiered  by  the  inhabitants  of  that  village 
through  want  of  water,  he  proceeded  to  ex- 
plain to  his  companion  his  theory  on  springs, 
in  which  he  propounded  a  doctrine  which  the 
science  of  the  present  day  has  pronounced 
absolutely  correct. 

This  subject  led  Bernard  to  recur  to  the 
home  of  his  early  manhood,  and  he  added, 
"  At  Saintes,  which  is  a  very  ancient  town, 
there  are  still  found  the  remains  of  an  acque* 
duct,   by    which,   formerly,    they  caused   the 


PALISSY   THE    HUGUENOT    POTTER.         217 


water  to  come  from  a  distance  of  two  great 
leagues.  There  are  now  no  ancient  foun- 
tains ;  by  which  I  do  not  mean  to  say  we 
have  lost  the  water-courses,  for  it  is  well 
known  that  the  ancient  spring  of  the  town  of 
Saintes  is  still  on  the  spot  where  it  formerly 
existed ;  to  see  which  tlie  chancellor  De 
I'Hopital,  travelling  from  Bayonne,  turned  out 
of  his  way  to  admire  the  excellence  of  the 
said  spring.  Now,  in  the  neighborhood  of 
Saintes,  is  a  small  town  called  Brouage, 
situated  on  the  coast  amongst  the  marshes 
of  Saintonge.  Its  name  points  out  its  nature, 
the  word  '  brou,'  meaning  marshy  soil.  That 
said  town  has  undergone  two  sieges  during 
the  civil  wars ;  the  last  in  the  year  1570. 
When  besieged,  it  suffered  much  from  want 
of  water,  and  I  am  at  the  present  time,  pro- 
paring  an  advertisement  to  the  governor  and 
inhabitants  thereof,  to  explain  to  them  that 
the  situation  of  the  place  is  very  commodious 
for  making  a  fountain  there,  at  small  expense." 
"  Your  mention   of  this  reminds  me/'  said 


218         PALISSY   THE    HUGUENOT    POTTER. 

his  companion,  "  of  the  remarkable  manner 
in  which  the  city  of  Nismes  fell  into  the 
hands  of  the  Huguenots,  some  four  or  five 
winters  ago." 

Palissy  expressed  a  wish  to  hear  the  par- 
ticulars, with  which  he  was  but  imperfectly 
acquainted ;  and,  as  the  story  affords  a  strik- 
ing instance  of  the  spirit  which  animated 
even  obscure  individuals  in  the  cause  of 
religion  and  freedom,  it  shall  be  told  here. 

The  governor  of  Nismes,  a  ferocious  old 
man,  had  treated  the  Huguenots  with  the 
utmost  barbarity,  and  had  plundered  and 
banished  great  numbers  of  them,  who  had 
retired  to  a  neighboring  town.  Among  those 
left  in  Nismes  was  a  carpenter,  named  Made- 
ron,  who  resolved  to  deliver  the  town  into 
the  hands  of  his  exiled  brethren,  and  for 
that  purpose  took  advantage  of  the  famous 
fountain,  the  abundant  waters  of  which 
flowed  between  the  gate  of  Carmes  and  the 
castle,  through  a  channel  which  was  closed 
by  a  grate.     Just  above,  and   close  by   the 


PAllSSY  THE   HUGUENOT   POTTER.  2l9 


castle,  a  seutinel  was  placed,  who  was  re- 
lieved every  hour.  When  he  was  about  to 
leave  he  was  accustomed  to  ring  a  bell,  in 
order  to  advertise  the  soldier  who  was  to 
relieve  him,  to  come  and  take  his  place.  A 
short  interval  always  elapsed  between  the 
departure  of  one  soldier  and  the  arrival  of 
the  other,  and  Maderon  having  observed  this, 
undertook,  in  those  moments,  to  file  asunder 
the  bars  of  the  grate. 

He  executed  his  purpose  thus.  In  the 
evening  he  went  down  into  the  ditch,  with 
a  cord  fastened  round  his  body,  the  end  of 
which  was  pulled  by  a  friend  when  the  sol- 
dier quitted  his  post,  and  again,  when  the 
other  arrived.  Maderon  worked  during  these 
few  moments,  and  then  ceasing,  waited  in 
patience  till  another  hour  had  elapsed.  In 
the  morning,  he  covered  his  work  with  mud 
and  wax.  In  this  manner  did  this  indefati- 
gable man  work  for  fifteen  nights,  the  noiso 
h-e  made  being  drowned  by  the  rushing  of 
the  waters.     It   was   not  till   his   work   was 


220  PALISSY   THE    HUGUENOT    POTTER. 


nearly  completed  that  he  informed  the  exiles 
of  his  success,  and  invited  them  to  take  pos- 
session of  the  town.  They  appear  to  have 
wanted  courage  for  the  undertaking;  and 
while  irresolute,  a  flash  of  lightning,  though 
the  weather  was  otherwise  serene,  terrified 
and  put  them  to  flight ;  but  their  minister, 
pulling  them  by  their  sleeves,  exhorted  them 
to  come  back,  saying,  "  Courage  !  this  light- 
ning shows  that  God  is  with  us." 

Twenty  of  them  entered  the  town,  and 
being  joined  by  others  who  were  exasperated 
at  the  cruelty  of  the  governor,  it  was  taken, 
and  the  castle  surrendered  a  few  days  after. 
"  That  was  truly  an  admirable  occurrence," 
said  Bernard.  "  And  the  results  were  very 
important,  since  the  town,  by  the  large  sup 
plies  it  afforded,  was  of  great  service  to  the 
army  of  the  princes  during  the  ensuing 
spring."  "  There  will  doubtless  be  many 
historians  who  will  employ  themselves  upon 
these  matters,"  said  Palissy  j  "  and  the  bet 
ter  to  describe  the  truth,  I  should  think  il 


PALISSY  THE    HUGUENOT    POTTER.  221 


wise  that  in  each  town  there  should  be  per- 
sons deputed  to  write  faithfully  the  things 
that  have  been  done  during  these  troubles. 
I  hav^  myself  already  given  a  short  narrative 
of  what  befell  when  I  was  resident  in  Sain- 
tonge,  and  I  have  left  others  to  write  of  those 
things  which  themselves  have  witnessed.  At 
present  I  am  engaged  in  preparing  a  volume 
of  Discourses  on  Natural  Objects,  of  practi- 
cal use  to  agriculturists  and  others,  and  I 
purpose,  in  the  lectures  I  have  just  com- 
menced, to  discuss  various  positions  with 
reference  to  these  matters,  to  which  end, 
as  you  know,  I  have  invited  interruption, 
contradiction,  and  discussion,  from  those  who 
may  attend  them." 

Palissy  referred,  in  these  words,  to  an 
undertaking  which  we  find  he  commenced 
in  the  Lent  of  the  year  1575,  and  which  he 
carried  on,  for  several  seasons,  annually. 
"  C9n8idering,"  he  says,  "  that  I  had  employed 
much  time  in  the  study  of  earths,  stones, 
waters,  and  metals,  and  that  old  age  pressed 


222  1»ALISSY    THE    HUGUKNOT    POTTER. 


me  to  multiply  the  talents  which  God  had 
given  me,  I  thought  good  to  bring  forward 
to  light  those  excellent  secrets,  in  order  to 
bequeath  them  to  posterity." 

But,  like  a  true  philosopher,  he  was 
anxious,  first,  to  subject  his  theories  to  th-** 
test  of  keen  criticism.  Free  discussion  war 
he  knew,  the  best  friend  to  the  true  interest! 
of  science,  and  he  resolved,  therefore,  to  in 
vite  about  him  the  most  learned  persons 
then  resident  in  the  capital,  and  to  meel 
them  in  his  lecture  room,  to  state  to  them 
his  opinions,  and  to  hear  their  arguments 
in  reply.  lie  set  about  doing  this  in  a  pecu- 
liar manner,  which  he  describes.  "  Thus  de- 
bating in  my  mind,  I  decided  to  cause  notices 
to  be  affixed  to  the  street  corners  in  Paris, 
in  order  to  assemble  the  most  learned  doc- 
tors, and  others,  to  whom  I  would  promise 
to  demonstrate,  in  three  lessons,  all  I  have 
learned  concerning  fountains,  stones,  metala. 
and  other  natures.  And,  in  order  that  none 
might  come  but  the  most  learned  and  curious, 


PALISSY    THE    HUGUENOT    POTTER.        •  223 


T  put  in  my  placards  that  none  should  have 
admission  without  payment  of  a  dollar.  I 
did  this  partly  to  see  whether  I  could  extract 
from  my  hearers  some  contradiction  which 
might  have  more  assurance  of  truth  than  the 
arguments  I  should  propound  ;  knowing  well 
that,  if  I  spoke  falsely,  there  would  be  Greeks 
and  Latins  who  would  resist  me  to  my  face, 
and  who  would  not  spare  me,  as  well  on 
account  of  the  dollar  I  should  have  taken 
from  each,  as  on  account  of  the  time  I  should 
have  caused  them  to  misspend.  For  there 
were  very  few  of  my  hearers  who  could  not 
elsewhere  have  extracted  profit  out  of  some- 
thing during  the  time  spent  by  them  at  my 
lessons.  Also,  I  put  in  my  placards  that  if 
the  things  therein  promised  did  not  prove 
trustworthy,  I  would  restore  the  quadruple." 

The  result  of  this  experimental  course  was 
most  successful.  "  Thanks  be  to  God,"  says 
the  triumphant  lecturer,  "  never  man  contra- 
dieted  me  a  single  word." 

Of  the   character   of  the   audience   whom 


224  PALISSY    THE    HUGUENOT     POTTER. 


Palissy  attracted  around  him  in  his  museum 
(as  he  called  his  cabinet  of  natural  history,) 
on  this  occasion,  we  are  fully  informed.  He 
has  given  a  list  of  more  than  thirty  of  them, 
including  many  skilful  physicians,  celebrated 
surgeons,  grand  seigneurs,  gentlemen,  and 
titled  ecclesiastics,  also  some  of  the  legal 
profession,  and  others,  who  were  drawn 
together  by  a  common  love  of  scientific 
research.  These  were  no  idlers,  but  an 
assemblage  of  the  choicest  students  —  a  sort 
of  Royal  Society,  instituted  for  the  occa- 
Bion  —  who  sat  listening  to  the  self-taught 
philosopher,  the  wise  and  vigorous  old  man, 
who,  illustrating  his  cases  as  he  went  on, 
by  specimens  of  the  things  about  which  he 
spoke,  turned  his  cabinet  into  a  lecture-room, 
where  he  delivered  the  first  course  of  lec- 
tures upon  natural  history  ever  given  in  the 
French  metropolis,  held  in  the  first  natural 
history  museum  ever  thrown  open  to  the 
public  there.  Supported  by  the  favorable 
opinion    of    such    judges  —  than    whom    he 


PALISSY    THE    HUGUENOT    POTTER.  225 

could  not  have  "  more  faithful  witnesses, 
nor  men  more  assured  in  knowledge,"  Ber- 
nard "  took  courage  to  discourse  "  of  various 
matters  concerning  which  he  had  attained 
a  surprising  degree  of  knowledge. 

The    science   taught   by   the    self-educated 
potter  was  such  as  has  entitled  him,  in  the 
present  day,  to  the  admiration  of  men  like 
Buffon,  Haller,  and  Cuvier. 
16 


CHAPTER   V. 

"Be  thou  faithful  unto  death."  —  Rkvel^tion  ii.  10. 

"  The  number  of  my  years  hath  given  me 
courage  to  tell  you  that,  a  short  time  since, 
I  was  considering  the  color  of  my  beard, 
which  caused  me  to  reflect  on  the  few  days 
which  remain  to  me  before  my  course  shall 
end ;  and  that  has  led  me  to  admire  the 
lilies  and  the  corn,  and  many  kinds  of  plants, 
whose  green  colors  are  changed  into  white 
when  they  are  ready  to  yield  their  fruits. 
Thus,  also,  certain  trees  become  hoary  when 
they  feel  their  natural  vegetative  power  is 
about  to  cease.  A  like  consideration  has 
reminded  me  that  it  is  written,  '  Better  is 
the  fool  who  hides  his  folly,  than  the  wise 
man  who  conceals  his  wisdom.' "  We  are 
peeping  over  Palissy's  shoulder  as  he  bends 

226 


PALISSY   THE   HUGUENOT   POTTEB.  227 


his  silvery  locks  over  his  escritoire,  and  com- 
mences the  dedication  of  his  last  volume  of 
"  Admirable  Discourses."     Its  superscription 
is  as  follows: — "To  the  very  high  and  very 
powerful    lord,   the   sire,    Antoine    de    Pons, 
knight  of  the  order  of  the  king,  captain  of 
a  hundred  gentlemen,  and  his  majesty's  very 
faithful    counsellor."      It    is   to    his    ancient 
patron  he  pays  this  tribute  of  loving  respect. 
The  good  old  sire  was  probably  still   more 
aged   than    himself,   but   his   friendship    had 
stood  the  test  of  years,  and  their  intercourse 
had  been  renewed  "  in  these  later  days,"  with 
mutual   pleasure  and  edification ;   their  con- 
versation   having   often    turned   on    "  divers 
sciences ;  to   wit,  philosophy,   astrology,  and 
other  arts  drawn  from  mathematics,"  in  which 
"  without  any  flattery,"  Bernard  declares  him- 
self convinced  of  the  venerable  knight's  mar- 
vellous ability,  which  "  length  of  years  had 
but  augmented,  instead  of  diminishing  there- 
from." 

It  is  pleasant  to  find  Bernard  thus  steadfastly 


228  PALISSY   THE    HUGUENOT    POTTER. 


retaining  the  friendship  of  earlier  years,  6ut 
far  more  satisfactory  to  perceive  that  he  had 
preserved  his  religion  pure,  and  that  the 
source  whence  his  activity  in  the  pursuit  of 
knowledge  was  derived,  remained  the  same. 
At  the  close  of  a  pious  and  laborious  life,  he 
remembered  there  was  still  something  left 
which  he  might  do.  He  had  learned  the 
wonderful  secrets  of  nature  to  the  glory  of 
Him  who  had  given  him  the  hearing  ear,  and 
the  seeing  and  observing  eye  ;  and  now,  re- 
curring to  the  ruling  motive  of  his  life — that 
solemn  idea  of  responsibility — he  says  :  "  It 
is  a  just  and  reasonable  thing  that  the  talents 
a  man  has  received  from  God,  he  should  en- 
deavor to  multiply,  following  his  command- 
ment. For  which  reason  I  have  studied  to 
bring  unto  the  light  of  things  of  which  it  has 
pleased  God  to  give  me  understanding.  Hav 
ing  seen  how  many  pernicious  errors  have 
been  set  abroad,  I  have  betaken  me  to  scratch 
in  the  earth  for  the  space  of  forty  years,  and 
search  into  the  entrails  of  the  same,  in  order 


PALISSY   THE    HUGUENOT    POTTER.  229 


to  understand  the  things  which  she  producea 
in  herself;  and,  by  such  means,  I  have  found 
grace  before  God,  who  has  caused  me  to 
understand  secrets  which  have  hitherto  been 
unknown  even  to  the  learned." 

The  book,  thus  dedicated  and  prefaced,  con- 
tained the  mature  fruit  of  his  studies  as  a 
naturalist.  It  is  a  collection  of  short  trea- 
tises upon  waters  and  fountains,  metals,  salts, 
stones,  and  earths,  fire,  enamels,  and  many 
other  things,  besides  a  treatise  on  marl,  "  very 
useful  and  necessary  for  those  concerned  in 
agriculture."  It  was  published  at  Paris  in 
the  year  1580,  when  its  author  was  more  than 
seventy  years  of  age. 

Four  years  later  he  was  still  lecturing  in 
his  museum,  wandering  out,  now  and  then,  to 
the  river  side  and  elsewhere,  to  find  an  illus- 
tration of  some  lesson  he  was  teaching. 
Thus,  one  winter's  day,  he  was  seen  standing 
beside  the  Seine,  opposite  the  Tuileries,  sur 
rounded  by  a  throng  of  listeners  and  ob- 
jectors, among   whom  were    several    of  th« 


230  PALISSY    THE    HUGUENOT    POTTER. 


boatmen,  who  persisted  in  maintaining  what 
Palissy  was  combatting,  namely,  that  the 
floating  masses  of  ice  upon  the  river  came 
from  the  bottom  of  the  water.  Among  those 
who  listened  with  interest  and  discernment 
to  his  instruction  was  the  Sieur  de  la  Croix 
Dumaine,  who  afterwards,  in  a  volume  pub- 
lished in  1584,  described  Palissy  as  "  a  natural 
philosopher,  and  a  man  of  remarkably  acute 
and  ready  wit,  flourishing  in  Paris,  and  giving 
lessons  in  his  science  and  profession." 

His  was  a  vigorous  old  age,  and  he  looked 
80  much  younger  than  he  really  was,  that  the 
Sieur  supposed  him  little  more  than  sixty. 
He  might,  in  all  probability,  have  continued 
thus  to  lecture  and  discourse  about  the  won- 
ders of  the  earth  and  waters  some  years 
longer ;  yet,  even  a  few  months  later,  we 
should  have  vainly  sought  him  in  his  beloved 
museum,  or  on  his  pleasant  rambles  around 
the  environs '  of  Paris.  He  was  no  longer 
there,  but  immured  within  the  walls  of  yon 
grim  fortress — 


PALISSY   THE     HUGUENOT    POTTER.         231 


••  That  shame  to  manhood,  and  opprobrious  more 
To  France,  than  all  her  losses  and  defeats 
Old,  or  of  later  date;  by  sea,  or  land: 
Her  house  of  bondage,  worse  than  that  of  old, 
Which  God  avenged  on  Pharoah  —  the  Bastile." 

Although  in  his  lectures,  and  in  his  book, 
he  had  abstained  from  all  allusion  to  the 
struggles  of  the  time,  he  was  well  known  for 
a  staunch  Huguenot,  a  man  whom  nothing 
could  induce  to  change  or  to  conceal  his 
religion.  They  were  indeed  "  evil  days "  in 
which  his  lot  was  cast.  It  had  been  sorrow 
and  trouble  enough  to  Hve  in  Paris  then,  and 
behold  the  vice,  frivolity,  and  riot  which 
prevailed.  True,  most  true  it  is,  that  "  be- 
tween the  excesses  of  depravity  and  those  of 
bigotry,  there  exist  remarkable  and  intimate 
aflSnities."  Nowhere  was  this  more  strikingly 
exemplified  than  in  the  French  court  and 
capital  during  the  rule  of  the  house  of  Valois. 
The  religious  ideas  of  a  court  in  which  fanati- 
cal intolerance  reigned,  give  sufficient  proof 
of  this.  The  vilest  and  most  sanguinary 
passions  were  excited  by  the  ceremonies  of 


232  PALISSY    THE     HUGUENOT    POTTER. 


religion.  The  sermons  of  "  the  League  ** 
preachers  were  like  torches,  which  set  the 
kingdom  in  a  blaze.  Tli^  most  impious  and 
revolting  spectacles  were  presented  to  the 
eyes  of  the  mob.  Thus,  at  Chartres,  after 
the  day  of  barricades,  a  Capuchin  monk,  in 
the  presence  of  Henry  IIL,  represented  the 
Saviour  ascending  Mount  Calvary.  This 
wretched  priest  had  drops  of  blood  appa- 
rently trickling  from  his  crown  of  thorns, 
and  seemed  with  difficulty  to  drag  the  cross 
of  painted  card-board  which  he  bore ;  while, 
ever  and  anon,  he  uttered  piercing  cries,  and 
fell  beneath  the  load.  The  king  himself, 
thoroughly  steeped  in  the  vicious  pleasures 
of  the  court,  became  a  member  of  the 
brotherhood  of  Flagellants,  and,  in  a  solemn 
procession,  king,  queen,  and  cardinal,  headed 
the  white,  black,  and  blue  friars,  as  they 
traversed  the^  city  barefoot,  with  heads  un- 
covered, chaplets  of  skulls  around  their  waists, 
and  flogging  their  backs  with  cords  till  the 
olood     flowed.      The    atrocities     committed 


PALISSY   THE    HUGUENOT    POTTER.  233 


within  many  of  the  churches  by  the  soldiers 
of  "  the  League,"  it  is  impossible  here  to 
relate.  Since  the  massacre  of  St.  Bartholo- 
mew, the  mobs  of  Paris  had  become  familiar 
with  blood,  and  a  spirit  of  increased  ferocity 
prevailed.  Assassinations,  tortures,  and  exe- 
cutions were  frequent,  and  the  extreme 
Roman  Catholic  party,  to  which  the  city 
had,  from  that  time,  been  heartily  attached, 
was  pledged  to  exterminate  the  Huguenots. 

At  the  head  of  "  the  League "  was  the 
Duke  of  Guise,  the  hero  of  the  violent  among 
the  Roman  Catholics,  whom  they  desired  to 
make  king,  instead  of  the  worthless  and 
despised  Henry.  At  length,  in  the  year  1585, 
the  king,  finding  no  other  way  of  saving  him- 
self from  the  imminent  peril  which  threat- 
ened him,  made  peace  with  the  duke  at  the 
expense  of  the  Reformers,  and  issued  a  de- 
cree, prohibiting  the  future  exercise  of  the 
Reformed  worship,  and  commanding  all  its 
adherents  to  abjure,  or  emigrate  immediately, 
on  pain  of  death  and  confiscation.     This  was 


234         PALISSy   THE    HUGUENOT    POTTER. 


no  miserable  court  quarrel ;  it  affected  the 
interests  of  all,  and  touched  the  liberty,  faith, 
fortune,,  and  life  of  every  man.  So  rigorously 
was  the  edict  carried  out,  that  the  petition 
of  a  few  poor  women,  who  begged  permission 
to  dwell  with  their  children  in  any  remote 
corner  of  the  kingdom,  was  refused.  The 
utmost  they  could  obtain  was  the  promise  of 
a  safe  conduct  to  England.  Flight  was  out 
of  the  question  for  Palissy  ;  and  he  remained 
at  the  mercy  of  men  who  respected  neither 
age,  virtue,  nor  misfortune.  That  he  had 
friends  who  would  gladly  have  protected  him 
was  known ;  nay,  the  king  himself  would 
willingly  have  sheltered  one  who  had  so 
long  and  skilfully  served  his  mother.  But 
the  protection  of  the  court  was  now  unavail- 
ing; and  the  venerable  man  was  sent  to  the 
Bastile. 

Four  years  of  life  yet  remained  to  Ber- 
nard ;  all  spent  within  the  walls  of  his  prison- 
nouse.  There,  in  communion  with  God  and 
Ills  own  soul,  he    passed   the  residue  of  hii 


PALISSY  THE    HUGUENOT    POTTER.  235 


days,  shut  out  from  the  eye  of  man,  within 
that  gloomy  fabric,  the  very  thought  of  which 
inspires  one's  soul  with  shrinking  horror. 
Profound  secrecy  and  mystery  were  among 
the  most  prominent  features  in  the  manage- 
ment of  the  Bastile,  and  he  who  was  retained 
there  to  waste  away  life  within  its  damp 
and  dismal  cells,  was  sedulously  kept  from 
all  knowledge  of  what  was  passing  in  the 
busy  world  without,  while  no  tidings  of  him 
were  ever  permitted  to  reach  the  ears  of  his 
kindred  and  former  companions. 

Debarred  from  the  enjoyment  of  the  beau- 
tiful sights  of  nature,  the  treasures  of  intel- 
lect, and  the  delights  of  social  converse, 
fearful,  indeed,  was  the  lot  of  such  a  prisoner, 
unless  sustained  by  Divine  consolations.  We 
know  not  in  what  words  our  beloved  Palissy 
would  have  clothed  his  thoughts,  could  he 
have  spoken  to  us  from  his  living  tomb ;  but 
the  following  passage,  contained  in  the  nar- 
rative of  one  who  was  for  some  months  a 
prisoner   there,   affords    a   pleasing   example 


236  PALISSY   THE     HUGUENOT     POTTER. 


how,  even  in  such  circumstances,  the  soul 
has  been  sustained  in  hope.  "  I  recollect," 
says  the  narrator,  "  with  humble  gratitude, 
the  first  idea  of  comfort  that  shot  across  this 
gloom.  It  was  the  idea  that  neither  massive 
walls,  nor  tremendous  bolts,  nor  all  the  vigi- 
lance of  suspicious  keepers,  could  conceal 
me  from  the  sight  of  God.  This  thought  I 
fondly  cherished,  and  it  gave  me  infinite  con- 
solation in  the  course  of  my  imprisonment, 
and  principally  contributed  to  enable  me  to 
support  it  with  a  degree  of  fortitude  and 
resignation  that  I  have  since  wondered  at : 
I  no  longer  felt  myself  alone."     So  true  it  is, 

"  Stone  walls  do  not  a  prison  make. 

Nor  iron  bars  a  cage ; 
Minds  innocent  and  quiet  take 

That  for  a  hermitage. 
If  I  have  freedom  in  my  love. 

And  in  myself  am  free, 
Angels  alone,  that  soar  above 

Enjoy  such  liberty." 

And  Palissy  was  a  true  Christian.  He  was 
free  with  the  freedom  wherewith  Jesus  Christ 
makes  his  people  free.     Therefore,  as  an  old 


PAfilSSY  THE   HUGUENOT   POTTER.  237 


and  faithful  servant  of  the  Lord,  he  was  wil- 
ling for  the  testimony  of  Christ,  to  suflFer 
affliction,  even  unto  bonds ;  nay,  he  counted 
not  his  life  dear  unto  him,  so  that  he  might 
win  Christ,  and  be  found  in  him. 

One  glimpse  we  have  within  this  dungeon. 
Its  doors  are,  for  once,  unbarred,  and  we  are 
permitted  to  look,  for  the  last  time,  at  him 
whose  history  we  have  lovingly  retraced. 

Sentence  of  death,  executed  upon  many 
who  had  remained  staunch  in  their  refusal 
to  obey  the  royal  edict,  had  been  deferred 
in  the  case  of  Palissy,  only  by  the  artifice 
of  friends  in  power.  But  now,  at  length, 
the  formidable  council  of  sixteen  became 
urgent  for  the  public  execution  (already  too 
long  deferred)  of  so  obstinate  a  heretic. 

The  king  was  loth  to  yield  to  these  bar- 
barous and  blood-thirsty  counsels,  and  deter- 
mined to  try  what  a  personal  interview  might 
eflFect  in  bringing  the  recusant  to  a  more  pli- 
ant mood. 

He  went,  accompanied  by  some  of  his  gay 
courtiers,  to  visit  and  remonstrate  with  Ber- 


238  PALISSY   THE   HUGUENOT   POTTER. 

nard,  whom  he  found  not  solitary,  for  his  cap 
tivity  was  shared  by  two  young  girls,  the 
daughters  of  Jacques  Foucand,  the  attorney 
to  the  piirliament,  condemned,  as  he  was, 
for  the  firm  r<«ith  and  resolute  tenacit}'-  with 
which  they  refused  to  yield  to  the  threats 
of  their  persecutors. 

"My  good  man,"  said  the  king,  address- 
ing himself  to  Bernard,  "  for  many  years 
you  have  been  in  the  service  of  our  family, 
and  we  have  suffered  you  to  retain  your 
religion  amidst  fires  and  massacres ;  but  at 
present  I  find  myself  so  pressed  by  the 
Guises  and  my  own  people,  that  I  am  com- 
pelled to  give  you  into  the  hands  of  my 
enemies.  These  two  poor  women,  whom  I 
see  with  you,  are  to  be  burned  to-morrow ; 
and  so  will  you,  unless  you  be  converted." 
"  Sire,"  replied  Bernard,  "  I  am  ready  to  yield 
up  my  life  for  the  glory  of  God.  You  say 
you  feel  pity  for  me.  It  is  rather  I  that 
should  pity  you,  who  utter  such  words  aa 
these,  '  I  am  compelled.'  This  is  not  the 
language  of  a  king,  and  neither  yourself  noi 


PALISSY   THE   HUGUENOT   I'OTTER.        23!) 


the  Guises,  with  all  your  people  shall  compel  me  ; 
for  I  know  how  to  die." 

"  What  an  impudent  rascal !  "  said  one  of  the 
courtiers,  who  afterward  recorded  the  scene  he 
had  witnessed  ;  "  one  might  have  supposed  he 
knew  that  line  of  Seneca,  '  He  who  can  die  can- 
not be  compelled.' " 

Two  months  later  there  were  fagots  blaz- 
ing in  the  Place  de  Greve,  and  monks  ges- 
ticulated around  the  fires  which  were  con 
Burning  to  ashes  the  "  two  poor  women  "  of 
whom  the  king  had  spoken,  and  who  had 
found  grace  to  continue  steadfast  to  the  end. 

But  Palissy  still  lived.  Some  powerful 
arm  had  sheltered  him,  and  he  was  saved 
from  the  fiery  trial.  A  few  months  longer 
he  remained  captive  in  the  bonds  of  his 
prison-house,  and  then  the  message  came 
for  him  also.  Thou  hast  been  faithful  unto 
death,  "  I  will  give  thee  a  crown  of  life." 

•  "  He  who  can  die  cannot  be  compelled.' 
T9E     END. 


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